We Are
by Blue Seidr
Summary: What if Leo had stolen that katana with Karai? What if Leo actually had a temper worse than Raph's? What if Karai and Leo were closer? What if they kissed after the WWGP? What Leo was forbidden to see her? What if . . . This is the alternate story of Leo and Karai, the one every shipper will wish had happened, but none of you will see coming. Awesome Leo/Karai story! Please read!
1. Thieves

**Hey, I know I shouldn't start something else, but I had this idea and I had to write it down. If you're as big a fan of Episode 14 as I am, you have probably wonder this at some point too. What would have happened if Leo had agreed to steal the sword with Karai? I apologize if this is not up to my usual quality but I am sick today and I started this at 5:35 in the morning, so cut me some slack. Anyway, read on!**

Man, it's already 12:02! If I don't move my shell, I'm going to miss her. The Byerly Building is taller than I thought, but I finally make it to the top where Karai is pacing.

"I was beginning to think you were a no-show." She says before she turns around. "But you don't disappoint."

"What's this all about?" I ask warily. I don't draw my swords, giving her the benifit of the doubt.

"That." She says as she tosses me a pair of binoculars and points to an office across the street. I lift the binoculars up to my face and focus in on the selected office. It's a sword, resting on a pedestal. Wait a minute. I know that sword!

"That's the sword of Miomoto Mushashei." I almost gasp in awe.

"The greatest swordsman in the history of Japan." Karai adds with a touch of respect in her voice as well. "It's ancient, it's priceless, and it's yours. If you help me."

"Do what?" I ask hesitantly, all though I think I already know.

"You know what! We're going to steal it!"

"No we're not." I say firmly. No way would I ever steal.

"Come on, that sword's just sitting there, collecting dust. You know you deserve that katana, certainly more than some lazy rich guy that doesn't even own it.

"Then who does on it?" I ask, curious in spite of myself.

"Theoretically the National Heritage Museum of Japan has it on display. But that one's a fake, swapped for the real one a long time ago. It used to be admired everyday. Now, it sits locked away by some rich guy who can't even begin to give it the respect it deserves." Okay, gotta admit, that sounds pretty wrong.

Almost as if she knows what I'm thinking, Karai presses on. "You know you would give it proper respect. You would appreciate its history. So why shouldn't you have it?"

_She has a point, _my mind whispers.

_But it's wrong!_ I tell myself.

_Is it really? Is stealing from a thief wrong? And it would impress Karai if you stole it with her._

_Ugh, I am seriously sick. It is wrong. What difference does it make if I have it or the rich guy?_

_You would respect it. You would treat it properly. And, hey! You could always send it back to the museum she was talking about! Do some good!_

_Okay, okay. I'm sold._

"I'll do it." I say aloud.

She smiles at me and I feel my heart melt. "Excellent." She grabs my hand and pulls me to the fire escape on the left side of the building. She's holding my hand she's holding my hand she's holding my hand! I think giddily as she leads the way to the ground. She yanks me into the shadows of the building and lets go of my hand, to my disappointment.

She looks both ways, then darts across the street into the shadows of the alleyway beside our target. She gestures for me to join her and after checking that the coast is clear, I do.

We sneak deeper into the alley until we come across a loading dock, with a door. Locked of course, with a key card reader. Karai pulls out a card covered with lights and electrical dodads that I can't even hope to recognize and sticks it in the slot. The lights on the card start flashing and soon the light on the reader turns from red to green. There's a loud click and the door opens a smidge.

"Foot Clan technology. Gotta love it." She whispers. We creep into the building, dark and full of corners to hide in. Perfect for stealth. It's almost too easy sneaking past the cameras. Still in stealth mode, Karai calls up an elevator while I watch her back. It arrives with a ding that sounds like a bomb blast to me. As soon as the doors open Karai tosses a small red ball at the camera in the corner. It splatters on impact and covers the lens in paint.

"Nice." I whisper. I'll have to remember to ask Donnie if he can make some. They would come in handy. Of course, I can't tell him where I got the idea.

"Thanks." She hisses back as we board the elevator. She hits the 12 button and we zoom up in relative silence. I can't help examining the small room. I've never been in a human building, let alone an elevator. Though I try to hide it, Karai notices and smirks at my curiousity.

"This is an elevator." She says in a slow, patronizing voice. "It uses cables and pulleys to lift heavy things and people up higher."

"Oh, shut up." I say crossly, but I smile too.

Finally the elevator stops and the doors open with a ding. We both immediately dart to the shadows. We are in a narrow hallway with about 20 doors, 10 on each side. Karai waves at me, then points at the fifth door down on the right side of the hallway. We run down the hall, Karai throwing paintballs at any cameras we can't avoid. Karai uses that keycard she used to get in again, opening the door in less than a minute. There are four cameras in the room, all aimed at the only thing in the room. The sword of Miomoto Mushashei.

"Allow me." I say, and proceed to slice the cameras in half. Feeling Karai's eyes on me, I add in a couple of unnecessary flips and some exaggerated swings.

When I finish, she claps mockingly and walks to the center of the room. "Miomoto Mushashei's sword. The Sword of Tengu. Beautiful." She breathes. She waves her hands over it like it's a prize in a gameshow. "Your sword."

I start to reach for it, then stop. Am I really going to do this? Steal this sword? Even though I know it's wrong?

"Come on Leo! Take it! You've come this far. Go big or go home."

This is wrong.

No it's not. Remember? You're going to send it back to the museum. You'll be like Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

That seals the deal. My hand touchs the cool metal of the sheath and I lift the sword. For a moment, pure silence. Then a blaring alarm fills the air.

"What is that?!" I ask, panicked.

"Lifting the sword must have triggered some sort of alarm. Come on, we've got to get out of here." We fly into the hallway and see the elevator zooming up. The sound of pounding feet is coming from the stairwell. We're surrounded. There's no way out.

"We're trapped!" I yell.

"No we're not." Karai says determinedly. She grabs my wrist and pulls me back into the room. She takes her sword out and starts slamming it into the glass. It cracks, but stays intact. Getting the idea, I shove The Sword of Tengu into my belt, secure it, and draw my own two swords. I join Karai in pounding on the glass, and with an extra kick, the glass breaks. I resheath my swords, pull out my grappling hook and fire it at the Byerly Building. It catches on the roof ledge and holds.

Turning to Karai, I offer her my hand. She hesitantly accepts. I wrap my arm around her and pull her close as I jump out the window. For once, Karai loses her composure and clings to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

For one, two, three seconds pass in free fall. Then the rope becomes taut, and we start falling sideways. I pull my legs in close, and when we're about to slam into the wall, I push off. We bounce a couple of times, then come to a stop against the building. I flick the switch on the grappling hook and we zoom up to the rooftop. Karai pulls herself onto the roof and I do the same. We are both panting hard from all the excitement. I think my heart had stopped at some point, it was that tense.

"That was awesome." Karai gasps out, a wicked grin on her face.

"Awesome? We almost got caught." I retort.

"That's what makes it fun." She smirks even wider. "Don't tell me you don't love the adrenaline rushing through you right now." Once again, she's hit the nail on the head. The thrill of the escape has left me with a pulsing, daredevil-like feeling. I wonder if this is how Raph feels in fights, and that's why he likes them so much. Or maybe he just likes to pound people.

"Okay, I admit it. That was kinda fun." I confess. She just stares at me. "What?" I ask.

"Aren't you going to look at the prize?" She asks excitedly. The Sword of Tengu. I had almost forgotten about it. It's still secured in my belt. I grasp the hilt and unsheathe it with a _shing!_ It's absolutely amazing. Even after a thousand years, it gleams like it was made yesterday. The flawless metal arches slightly, creating a deadly weapon.

"Whoa." I whisper.

"Nice, isn't it?" Karai says softly in awe. "And it's yours Leo." For a moment, I'm tempted to keep it. It's an amazing piece of histroy and a fine weapon. But I know that would be wrong. I will not keep it. I resheath the sword though, and salute Karai.

"Thanks for a wonderful night on the town Karai."

"We should do this again sometime." She says.

I shake my head slowly. "I think one heist is enough for this turtles life. But yeah, we should totally hang out again sometime."

She shakes her head back at me. "You're such a goody-goody. All right, but you're missing out."

I roll my eyes. "I'll keep that in mind."

Karai starts to walk past me, then stops. Quick as a whip, she punches my arm.

"Ow! I thought we were cool."

"That's for when you return the sword to the museum instead of keeping it." How did she know I'm planning to do that? She steps a little closer and kisses me on the cheek. "That's for getting us out of there."

My face flushes red. I gape like an idiot and slowly reach my hand up to the spot her lips brushed against my cheek.

She smirks evilly, yet kindly at me, then fades into the shadows. "Sayonara."

Oh my gosh, she kissed me! She kissed my cheek! This is the best day of my life!

**I had originally intended for this to be a oneshot with Raph finding out about Karai at the end, but when I started writing that part, it kept getting longer and going into a whole new direction, so I decided to cut it out and post it as a second chapter. If I get enough reviews, I might continue making it a story. So please review, tell me what you think, and I'll see you next time!**


	2. Friends

**2 chapters in one day! Yes! I really enjoyed writing this part, for some reason. Takes place on the same night Leo and Karai "stole" the sword. Again, if this is not up to my usual standards, or there are misspelled words, I've been sick all day and up since 5:30 am, so kinda running on fumes. Enjoy!**

One trip to the junkyard and another trip to the UPS office later, I'm running across rooftops, still giddy from Karai's kiss. Suddenly, I stop. I feel eyes on me. I'm not alone. I search the rooftops and spot a slim figure hiding in the shadows across the street. Karai. I smile at her and I'm about to wave when I hear an angry voice behind me.

"LEO!" I whirl around to see Raph marching up to me.

"Raph! Wha-what do you want?" My mood instantly sours.

"Well, let's see. Maybe an explanation about why when we were fighting for our lives against Snakeweed, you were with a girl in the Foot!"

"What? H-How did - "

"April texted Donnie saying you were going to the Byerly Building. But when I got there, you were nowhere to be seen. So I went to April's to see why she thought you would be there. And I learned some pretty interesting things. How could you Leo? That girl is in the Foot!"

"Her name is Karai." I stare at him coldly.

"Oh, excuse me. KARAI is in the Foot. Doesn't that make everything all right? Happy?"

"Lay off Raph. I know what I'm doing." I try to walk away, but Raph steps in front of me, blocking my path.

"Leo, she is using you! Whatever she wants from you, it's for her benifit and our downfall."

"You're wrong. There's good in her, I can sense it."

"She is in the Foot, Leo! The first chance she gets, when you're no longer useful to her, she'll stab you in the shell and take you to Shredder."

"She would never do that. You don't know her like I do."

"Oh, and you know her so well."

"I don't have to take this." Again I try to march away, but again Raph stops me.

"Actually you do, fearless leader." Something inside me snaps. I'm usually good at keeping my temper, but Raph has pushed me too far today. My fingers curl into a fist and I let a punch fly. Raph wasn't expecting that. My hand hits his face and he falls onto his shell, frozen with shock, eyes wide open. I have never hit him before.

I stand over him, my shadow looming across his plastron like a dark presence and my eyes narrowed into angry, upset slits.

"But I'm not the leader anymore, am I? You took that away from me, and now you're trying to stop me from being friends with Karai. Well you can't. She is my friend and she understands me more than you ever have." My voice is trembling by the end of the sentence, and with nothing else to say, I flee.

I run as far away and as fast as I can. For a while I hear footsteps behind me, but they fade out as I pull ahead. This is my reward for training extra-hard; I can run much faster and far longer than Raph can, even after all I've done today.

I run and run, not sure where I'm going, just anywhere but the Lair or where Raph is. I run from him and all this tension between us and the sick feeling in my stomach. How could he? How could he attempt to take away everything that means something to me? He's my brother, but with a brother like him, who needs enemies?

I round another corner and collaspe against the side of the taller building next door. I'm in one of the poor sectors of the city; one of those rundown collection of cheap apartment buildings that you don't want to be in, even in broad daylight. I'm sweating buckets and my breath is ragged and whezzy. The sweat drips in my eyes and burns them, then runs down my face. I'm not positive that it's just sweat.

"You're pretty fast for a turtle." A female voice says from in front of me. I look up and see Karai. Her eyes widen and she whispers, "Oh." I must look awful.

"Hey Karai." I attempt to sound normal. I fail miserably.

She sits down beside me, close, but not too close. "I couldn't help but overhear." I nod. I understand. I saw her myself.

"So that's one of your brothers, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah. Raph." My voice is cold and curt, more than I meant to be.

"Hey, no need to be like that!"

"Sorry. I'm just really mad at him right now. He has no idea what it's like being me, yet he's basically trying to destroy my life."

"Ya wanna talk about it?"

I look at her, surprised. "I didn't take you for the type to listen to people's feelings."

"I'm not, but you're no fun when you're down. Plus it might help you."

I sigh. "You're probably right."

"I always am."

I smile a little. "Well, I guess it started right before I met you. We were chasing down this 12- foot tall regenerating weed mutant called Snakeweed that was kidnapping people - "

"Okay, weird hobby, but go on."

"And we corner it in this deadend alley. Raph wanted to charge it, but I decided to take it from above. It was less risky that way. He argues, but follows me. We move to take it out, but it was gone. I guess he went into the sewers or something. So Raph starts harping on me about how I'm a horrible leader and how if we did it his way, we would have won. So we argue and I leave. He has no idea what kind of pressure I'm under to make sure the entire team makes it out alive, none of them do, and all they do is complain. And now Raph has made it his personal mission to become leader instead of me. And I just don't get him!" I half-yell this last part. I'm extremely fed up with Raph. At this moment, I wouldn't care if I never saw him again.

"Calm down. It's not the end of the world."

"Yeah. But yelling helps."

She smirks. "I'm guessing punching him in the face helped a lot too."

"Totally. I may go back and do it again." I smile back at her. For someone who's supposed to be my enemy, she sure can cheer me up.

"So did you really mean what you said?"

"Huh?"

"About me being your friend. Were you serious?"

"Of course, Karai. You're definitely my friend. You're a better friend than Raph, that's for sure. Why does that surprise you?"

"Well, I've never really had a friend. My whole life has revolved around the Foot, and I've learned it's best not to get emotionally attached to anyone in the Clan. Someone who's here today won't necessarily be here tomorrow, especially if they're of low rank."

"Then I will be your first." Of course, I would rather be more than just friends, but it's a good start.

Karai smirks at me, and I feel heat rising to my face. "Friends with the enemy. I'm pretty sure there's irony in there somewhere."

I shrug. "Maybe."

"So what are you going to do for the next few hours? It won't be light 'till 6:30, and I'm guessing you don't want to be back at your sewer hideout until you absolutely have to be."

"Got that right. I don't know. Wanna have a rematch? I believe I was winning when we left off."

She scoffs. "In your dreams, hero boy. I was kicking your shell."

I smile and stand. "Oh, it is so on." I stretch and walk to the other end of the roof. We both draw a sword. I bow, and after a beat, Karai does the same.

"Yaaaah!"

"He-yah!"

Our blades clash and we spar, not as enemies, but as friends.

**Raph lovers, I'm sorry, but he was a jerk in that episode, so that carried over into this, especially after he found out Leo had an interest in a Foot girl. **

**So, yay! They are getting closer, becoming friends. Tell me what you think, PLEASE, and I'll answer any questions as best I can. Hope you liked it. This is probably going to be a three shot or maybe four. I'm kinda playing this by ear, going with the flow. So again, review and I'll see you later! Thanks!**


	3. Interrupted

**Here it is, third installment. Thank you to the eight that have reviewed. Without you, I may have left the story as it is. Still the night Leo and Karai met. Enjoy!**

**We interruppt this previously all Leo POV to bring you a brief Raph POV. Thank you for your cooperation. Enjoy!**

INTERRUPTED

Raph's POV

He hit me.

My hand goes up to my throbbing cheek as I watch Leo speed away faster than I can keep up.

Leo hit me.

I'm still in shock.

Leo hit me.

He has never done that. He has never hit one of us before. He must really be mad. Mad at me.

His parting words are still ringing in my ears.

_"But I'm not the leader anymore, am I? You took that away from me..."_

I never told him. I never told him how lost we were without him, how we got stomped in battle against Snakeweed with his plans and tactics, how I froze up when faced with my first challenge. How much we need him. How much I needed him.

I never told him. Learning about the Foot girl, Karai, had pushed everything else out of my mind.

_"...and now you're trying to stop me from being friends with Karai. Well you can't."_

I still can't believe it. My calm, sensible, level-headed brother has fallen for a girl in the Foot Clan. Appearently they are already friends.

_"She's my friend and she understands me more than you ever have."_

Okay. That hurt. It hurts even more because it's probably true. I don't understand Leo, and I've never made an effort or even appearance to. But Karai seems to, and I'm guessing that's one of the reasons he likes her.

This isn't right. I need to find him. I need to tell him what happened to Mikey, get him home, then try to knock some sense into him. Understanding or not, Leo does not need to be holding hands with the Foot.

But where on earth is he? I doubt he even knows. He's long gone; there's no way to follow him. His T-phone! Donnie said something about having a GPS in them. I whip out my own and call my brother.

"Hey Raph. Any luck?"

"No. You said you can track our phones, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

I roll my eyes. "I want to see how far away from the nearest pizza place I am. I WANT TO TRACK LEO'S, BRAINIAC! Get to it!"

"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Sound of typing on a keyboard. "Okay, he's on the corner of 9th and Virginia, in Beckers. Hmm, that's odd."

"What?"

"His dot keeps moving around. He's staying in the same area, but he's moving all over the place."

"I'll check it out." I hang up before Donnie can say anything. What is Leo doing? Beckers is a rough area of town. Purple Dragon turf. Not someplace you want to go in alone. Why on Earth is Leo there? My best guess? He wasn't looking where he was running.

I make my way over there. I find the spot fairly easy; all I have to do is follow the sound of metal on metal that rings throught the air as I get closer to 9th and Virginia. I climb a tall building and there Leo is. But he isn't alone.

Leo is clashing swords with a girl dressed in black, with silver armor. I take a second to give her a once-over. Tall and slim. Nice, muscular build. Black and yellow hair with several ear piercings. Lots of makeup, all painted in a style that screams, "I'm a villain!". She's pretty, in an evil sort of way. She's smiling as she advances forward on Leo.

Leo is starting to lose this fight, but oddly enough, he's smiling too. Like he's enjoying this and he knows this girl won't hurt him. This must be the infamous Karai.

In a quick graceful sweep of her arms and sword, Karai pins Leo against a building. She holds her sword to his throat, and his own sword prevents him from ducking away. "Looks like you're all out of tricks." She taunts, smirking.

To my surprise, Leo smirks right back, then sweeps Karai's legs right out from under her. He holds his sword to her chest. "Not completely." For once, a decent comeback. He puts his sword away and holds out his hand to help her up. She grasps it, then pulls him down and kicks him in the stomach and flips him over her, somersaulting on top of him as she does. I grudgingly admit to myself it was a pretty slick move, even if she did it by taking advantage of Leo's kindness. Leo lands flat on his shell and Karai's face is inches away from his, her knee on his shell and her sword once again on his neck.

"Nice try. Too bad it didn't work."

"Who says it didn't?" Leo says, then immediately shuts his mouth and starts blushing. He didn't mean to let that slip, I can tell.

To my surprise, instead of slapping him or getting off of him, Karai starts laughing and puts her sword away as well. "Well as you're on the ground and I'm not, I'd say it did fail and you lost."

"I let you win. If I hadn't tried to help you up you would be the one on the ground and -" Leo trys to sound stern, barely concealing a smile. Karai just laughs harder, and Leo finally drops his act and joins her. I have never seen Leo this happy or carefree. For once, he doesn't look like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. It's different.

It's making me sick, seeing them so close together.

I leap down to their rooftop and startle them both to their feet. "Hey Leo. Gonna introduce me to your new playmate?" I ask sarcastically.

Karai rolls her eyes. "Wow, you're stupider than you look. And I was thinking that was impossible." She's already starting to bug me.

Leo looks like he wants to agree with her, it is pretty obvious who she is, but answers anyway. "Raph, Karai. Karai, Raph."

"So you really are friends with her. Leo, she's bad news. She's in the Foot."

"Brilliant deduction." Karai says in a completely deadpan voice. "Tell me, have you always been this slow or did Leo kill a few brain cells when he punched you?" She's really starting to bug me.

"You told her about that?!" I turn to Leo.

"She saw us. Next time you want to start yelling at me, make sure no one else is around to hear."

"Whatever. Look, you need to come back to the Lair."

"What for? So you can tattle on me?"

"No because the guys need you. Mikey's unconscious."

"What?! What happened?!"

"We went after Snakeweed."

"Without me?! We barely beat him last time and and you went and tried it without me?! That's incredibly stupid!"

"So you've always been this stupid." Karai muses.

I turn to her angrily. "Lady, I don't care who you are. Nobody talks to me like that." My hands drift to my sais.

Her hand travels to her sword hilt. "Well, I just did." I'm about to forget about Leo and just charge her, when Leo sucks in a deep breath and points at something behind me.

"Gonna have to postpone that fight. We've got bigger problems." He draws his swords.

I turn around, guessing I won't like what I see. I'm right.

"I found you turtles." Snakeweed rasps, as evil a grin he can manage on his face.

* * *

Leo's POV

Great. First Raph (how did he even find me?), now Snakeweed. Is two hours of uninterrupted sparring too much to ask? With my luck it seems to be.

At least it's stopped Raph from attacking Karai. I have no doubt Karai can defend herself, but I really don't want to have to come between them. Now, all of Raph's fury is directed at Snakeweed.

"Wow. That thing is wicked." Says Karai. "What did you do to tick it off?"

"It used to be a thug named Snake until he got a dose of mutagen, which he blames us for, even though it was a complete accident."

"Nice going. Unlucky fellow. I mean, of all the things to get mutated into, a weed is pretty lame."

"He can regenerate limbs in seconds and spray poison."

"Okay maybe not so lame."

"Yeah, but I'll feel a lot better when we blow him to a million pieces." Raph says as he backs up to us, Snakeweed stepping closer. He glances at me. "Imnogoodatthisyouretheleaderagainwelcomeback. So what's the plan, fearless leader?"

I feel a trickle of annoyance, but it's drowned out by relief that Raph has handed me back the reins. "Give me a sec - Hey!"

Snakeweed is tired of us backing away. He shoots outs his vines and wraps two around my swords. He yanks them away and throws them to another building. Behind him. I am weaponless.

I search frantically for something, anything. Searching for a plan. A stack of blue barrels on the loading dock of a nearby warehouse catches my eyes. Flashback to Donnie's lab. Donnie explaining to Mikey why he should never, ever, EVER touch them. A plan flashes in my mind. I grab hold of it.

"Raph, Karai, follow me. I've got an idea."

"You're the boss." Raph mumbles as they run with me to the fire escape. We slide down to the ground and I start running to the warehouse. Snakeweed jumps down as well, though, and swings his arm/vine like a whip and knocks us back into the building.

"What now, genius?" Karai asks. She's not impressed so far.

"We charge it." Dead serious.

"Really?" Raph. Surprised.

"Trust me. Let's move." I get off my shell and race towards Snakeweed. He flings his vines at me, but I flip and twirl to avoid them and pounce on him, using his body to propel myself up and kick him in he heart. He stumbles back in pain, and I use this momentary distraction to vault around him. I make a beeline to the canisters while Raph and Karai attack, keeping it busy. I grab two canisters and turn around to see Snakeweed knocked down. I throw one of the canisters at him and it hits his head with a bonk! He turns as I rush him, trying to throw the canister into his mouth. He knocks me back against the pile though, and scatters the canisters away. All but one behind me. Snakeweed grabs me and pulls me close. Too close. Idiot. I pull the canister I had grabbed out from behind my back and shove it into his mouth. I rear back as far as I can and kick the canister deeper into his mouth. He drops me and I land on the ground near Raph and Karai, both still standing.

"Karai!" My voice is hoarse as I point to the canister. "Now!" She looks at the canister, then me, and a look of understanding passes between us. She throws her sword. It pinwheels through the air, light bouncing of its surface in a light show. It hits the canister and the canister explodes, casting its contents over Snakeweed, freezing him instantly.

"Raph!" He grins and charges.

He climbs up Snakeweed like a mountain goat, then jumps up and comes back down, sai posed and ready. "Booyahkasha!" He yells as his sai cuts through Snakeweed like butter, smashing him into dozens of pieces that are scattered throughout the street.

Snakeweed is finished. For now.

"Booyahkasha? What does that even mean?" Karai asks.

Raph shrugs. "No clue. You'd have to ask Mikey, he's the one that started saying it." I hide a grin. I know exactly what it means, which is why I've never said it, and I'm kinda surprised Karai doesn't. It is Japanese. It means blessing and love to the very moment. Yeah, not exactly a battle cry that strikes fear into the hearts of your enemies.

"Thank you Karai. We couldn't have done it without you." I thank Karai.

"No, you couldn't. Though you're not a bad fighter, Red. You're almost as good as your brother."

"A-A-ALMOST?!" Raph sputters.

Karai just smirks at both of us, then gives me a wave, wiggling her fingers tauntingly. "See ya." She jumps up a fire escape and vanishes into the night. I smile in a goofy way, a funny but pleasant feeling bubbling in my stomach. She's so awesome. Ugh, I really do have a crush on her. Is this how Donnie feels all the time around April? I gonna have to cut him some slack in the teasing department.

I turn to Raph. "Let's head home." I say.

"Okay, but on the way I want the whole story."

I sigh and resign myself. "All right. I guess you deserve to know that much." We walk to the manhole cover just down the street, but just before I am about to follow Raph down into the sewers, something catches my eye. There's something glinting in the nearby alleyway. I walk over and break into a grin. It's Karai's sword, the one she throw at Snakeweed. The force of the explosion must have shot it over here. Cool! Something to remind me of her!

"Hurry it up Leo!" Raph, impatient as ever.

"Coming!"

"Whatcha got there?" He asks as I climb down the ladder, suspicious.

"It's Karai's sword. I spotted it in a alley." I can't help but smile as I tuck it in my empty sheath. Crud, I lost my swords on the surface. I'll have to go back for them later.

"Okay, lover boy. Spill. Start at the beginning." I blush at his name calling, but comply. I tell him how we first met, about our first real duel, and how I went April for advice. I leave out the part about the sword and make up a story about Karai wanting a rematch and taking the fight to a skate park. I figure if Raph wants to see this skate park, I'll take him to the one I had found nearby and not told my bro's about. I was going to keep it a secret for when I wanted to be alone, but I would rather tell him about that then my little heist. I tell him it ended in a draw when we heard a police car pulling up and that I started wandering when he showed up.

In a soft, awkward voice, I tell him how I ran away and how Karai found me. I don't tell him what we said, just that she said some things that cheered me up and we had a rematch. My cheeks are burning through this, the entire story really, and it's a relief when I can finally say, "And that's when you showed up again."

Raph has been quiet this entire time, and he's quiet for a couple minutes more after I finish. "Okay. I'll keep your little secret, FOR NOW. But the minute she does something to threaten Mikey, Donnie, Splinter, or our family, I'm telling. Deal?"

"Deal!" Yay! Raph's keeping my secret. I don't know if my story guilt-tripped him or what, but he's keeping my secret! Yes! I could be floating on clouds as we walk back home.

"I'm back Donnie! And I brought someone." Raph calls as we walk into the Lair.

"Leo!" Donnie calls from his place on the couch. Mikey is lying beside him, unconscious. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just wandering around. How's Mikey?"

Donnie sighs. "Still out of it. I don't get it. He should be awake by now."

Lightbulb moment. "I have an idea. Give me a minute." I run into the kitchen and quickly warm up a slice of pizza. For once the microwave cooperates the first time around and I have a steaming pizza in my hands. I return to the living room and lean over Mikey. I wave the pizza under his nose like smelling salts. For a moment, nothing. Then Mikey took a couple of deep breaths. "Mmmmmmmm. Pepperoni." He slowly sits up.

I smile. "Works everytime."

Raph grabs Mikey shoulders and pulls him into a hug. "Mikey! Don't scare us like that, buddy. We thought we'd lost you."

"Dudes, I had the weirdest dream. I dreamt the stuff in the sewers were made out of - "

"Forget about it Mikey." Donnie cuts him off. "It was just a dream."

Donnie motions for me to keep quiet while Mikey takes the pizza out of my hand. He's munching on it when he looks up at Raph and frowns. "Dude, what happened to your face?" I stiffen. Oh crud. I forgot. I hit Raph. I must have left a bruise.

"We ran into Snakeweed." I say quickly. "He got in a lucky hit, right Raph?"

"Yeah. Lucky hit. But we paid him back big-time." Raph looks a little miffed, but thankfully he doesn't tell.

"Snakeweed? What happened?" I jump in before Raph can answer and give an edited version of what happened. Raph nods along and comments at points, but keeps his word. I don't know why I keep expecting him to blow my cover. Maybe it's just part of keeping a secret. You always fear discovery.

"Now if you excuse me, I'm going to my room. Maybe I can sleep for a couple of hours before training." I half walk, half run to my room and shut the door. I reach into my sheath and pull out Karai's sword. A tanto. Longer than a knife, but shorter then my katanas.

Now where to put it? I could put it on my sword rack, but if my brothers come snooping or Sensei wants to see me, they'd see the sword. In my closet? No, it would get buried under everything, and I actually want to be able to see it. Oh, I got it! I get an old blanket out from under my bed and wrap Karai's sword in it to dull the blade, then stick it under my pillow. Perfect. I can feel its outline, but only when I lay my head done. Hidden in plain sight.

I yawn and pull up the covers. It's been one heck of a night and I have training in 3 hours. Might as well try to get some sleep. As I drift off, my thoughts are full of Karai. Her smile, her graceful movements, her teasing, sly voice. I smile and pray that I see her again soon.

**So, what did you think? Good? Bad? Belongs in the same trash heap as Twilight and The Hunger Games (sorry to burst any bubbles, but they are not that good! And HG is completely unoriganal)? Review people!**

**I have already started on the next chapter, an altered version of The Alien Agenda, basically how it would go down with this ending. After that, well, let's just say, bigger relationship, bigger reaction. Please keep reading!**


	4. There

**Hey, finished chapter 4! Now it is up for your viewing pleasure! I know I said this would be the Alien Agenda and it is, but it's only half of my rewrite. I just thought where I was was a good stopping point. And it gave me a good excuse to be lazy and not write everything that happened between where I left off and the World Wide Genome Project Lab. Anyway, read on faithful follower!**

THERE

**LEO'S POV**  


"And our last story this evening takes place in Tokyo, Japan. Officials were baffled earlier today when a sword resembling the Sword of Tengu arrived at the National Heritage Museum, where the real sword is on display. Upon further inspection of both swords, however, it was determined that the sword on display was a clever fake, and the other was the real one. Mysteriously, the real sword was delivered through UPS with only air mail stamps to indicate where it came from, the earliest one from right here in New York City. Authorities are attempting to trace the package through UPS, but don't consider it likely the lead will pan out.

All of Japan is wondering though, who is the hero who has returned this priceless piece of history to its people, and what will he do next?

This is Carlos Chang O'Brien Gambe..."

The announcer does his wrap up and the news cuts to a commercial break. I lean forward and flip the set off, a grin stretching from ear to ear (metaphorically speaking). Hero. I like the sound of that.

It has been a week since I met Karai and the frantic night we spent talking, sparring, fighting weed mutants, and stealing a priceless sword. Yeah. That's right. Karai and I were the ones to steal the sword, and I was the one to mail it to Japan. A modern day Robin Hood. I stole from the thief and gave to the people. A secret Robin Hood, that is. Only Karai knows what I did. Even though I had good intentions, I don't think Master Splinter would be too pleased to hear I was a thief just last week.

Yes, I know stealing is wrong. But I stole from a thief, and I did GOOD. And I have to admit, I did enjoy the rush I got from it. The fear of being caught. The adrenaline that pumped through me during the escape. The feelings of tension and excitement that pulsed through me the entire time. You never feel more alive when you're balancing on a knife blade and one wrong move spells the end, as I learned.

But all that was just a bonus. The main thrill of the night was my partner in crime, Karai. The main reason I agrees to do it in the first place. Though I had only known heed for an hour before the heist, I had already had feelings for her. They only grew stronger as the night progressed. A kiss on the cheek after our daring escape, talking after a fight with Raph, sparring by the light of the moon, and fighting alongside her had fueled those feelings, turning them into a huge crush. I have a crush on a girl in the Foot clan, a group who's entire reason for being here is to hunt down and kill me and my family. Yep. I'm insane. And I love it.

"Leo! Time for patrol!" My brother Raph marches into the (strangely, now that I think about it) deserted main room. He looks at the blank screen that I had been staring at, caught up in my thoughts, than back at me. "You do know that TV is off, right? Or have all those Space Dorks episodes completely fried your brains?"

"I just turned it off." I reassure him. "And it's Space Heroes and my brains are fine."

"That's debatable." He mumbles in a not-so-low tone as I walk past him to my room to grab my swords. Raph also knows about Karai, but thankfully not the Sword of Tengu. He found out from April, who I had sought advice from, and confronted me. After hitting him, running away, and fighting Snakeweed with him and Karai, I finally told him the (edited) whole story. He thinks I'm crazy and Karai is bad news, that she's just trying to close to me so she can exploit me and betray me later. But I know he's wrong. I know Karai, and while she may not be the most trustworthy person on the planet, I know she is sincere about our friendship. I trust her. The rest of my family is in the dark about Karai's existence and I intend to keep it that way, at least for now.

"Leo! Come on! The moon's not getting any lower!" Impatient brother calling.

"Coming!" I shout as I slide my swords into their double sheath and rush to the turnstiles where my brothers are waiting. "I'm here, I'm here."

"Finally." Raph grumbles.

"Are you okay, Leo? You've been acting kind of - distant - lately." Donnie asks, concerned as we walk to the manhole that leads topside.

I smile at him. "I'm fine Donnie. Never been better." I say sincerely. "Now let's hit the surface!" Maybe I'll see Karai tonight.

"All right!" Mikey cheers. "It's ninja time!" He shouts as he rushes up the ladder. I roll my eyes jokingly, smiling at my little brother's newest catchphrase as I follow him up.

* * *

The city has been quiet so far tonight. No sign of the Foot or the Kraang or any mutants. There has also been no sign of Karai, which I have mixed feelings about. But patrol is almost over. Maybe I can sneak away and search for her. If I'm lucky, maybe we can spar a little.

"Hey, it's the Kraang!" Donnie cries out, pointing to an alley below us. I almost groan. Crud. I jinxed it. But I shove my disappointment aside and concentrate at the situation at hand. The Kraang, about 20 of them, have cornered a women, in her early thirties by the look of her, in an alley. I'd bet my shell she's a scientist. The Kraang are getting bolder. They aren't even wearing their human disguises; you can clearly see the alien inside the robot body. The woman is screaming her head off; she's terrified. We have to help her.

I give the signal and we descend to the alley, but stay in the shadows. Seeing us would probably freak the woman out even more. I throw a shuriken at the nearest bot and down it goes.

"Kraang, go check in the place that is known as the shadows in the place that is known as over there where the thing that is known as the weapon came from." One of the Kraang bots says. Another robot walks right to us. Raph punches it and decapitates the metal head. It spins like a top out into to the light.

"Kraang, concentrate all fire on the place that is known as shadows." The head robot says. They all turn and start firing at the shadows. They really are horrible shots. None of the plasma bolts even come close to us, AND they aren't even looking at the women. She has a clear path.

"Go! Get away from here! Run and don't look back!" I yell. The women nods and runs past the Kraang to the streets. Good. She's gone. Now the battle can begin.

"Let's go!" I shout and we launch into action. It's almost too easy. The Kraang are horrible fighters. Their only advantage lies in numbers, but we still plow through them like they're nothing.

I don't know what makes me look up. Maybe I felt a presence, or I feel eyes tracking my moments. Whatever the reason, I look up and there she is. Karai. I smile at her, making eye contact, then turn back to the battle. My brothers are still working on the Kraang, there's about 6 Kraang droids left. I get an idea and my smile turns into a smirk.

I run off, pouncing on one and destroying it and its gun, then jump between Raph and the Kraang he's fighting.

"I'll save you Raph." I say in my best hero voice as I slice the robot into pieces.

"You'll save - !" I hear him shout indignantly as I move on to the next, running up and pushing off the wall into impressive somersaults before taking out another Kraang. I jump another, tied up by Mikey, and slice it in two while I somersault down to the ground.

"Relax Mikey. You're safe now." I tell him before racing to the last two.

"Thanks! Wait, I was fine?" I hear Mikey say in a confused voice behind me. For a moment, I feel a little silly, but I look back up at Karai, and I continue.

Donnie's fighting two with his bo staff. "Donnie! Behind you!" He whirls around and comes face to face with... the wall. I slice up the droids, then backflip several times, then somersault as high as I can, landing on my feet. I sheath my swords and smirk as I make eye contact with Karai. She cocks her head and although I can't see her mouth, I have a feeling she's smirking right back. Suddenly she turns around and flees. I stare after her for a couple of seconds with a strong urge to follow her, before Donnie's voice pulls me back down to earth.

"Uh, what the heck was that?"

"Yeah, are you trying to impress us?" Mikey accuses. "Cause it totally worked!" He hugs me and I push him off.

Raph narrows his eyes at me. Uh-oh.

Donnie notices as well. "What is it, Raph?"

"I thought I saw something. Did you see something Leo?" He asked pointedly. I narrow my eyes back. He saw her too. But what's he doing? What happened to keeping my secret?

"No." I say tensely.

"Turtles first, right?" What is he playing at?

"Turtles first." I say shortly. We continue staring at each other though slitted eyes.

"Do you get the feeling that we're missing something?" I hear Donnie ask Mikey, confused.

"All the time." Mikey says, completely serious.

I blink, turn away from Raph, and start marching to the nearest manhole cover. "Time to head back. Let's go." I hear 2 sets of footsteps following me, then a third join them.

* * *

I try to head my room as soon as we make it to the Lair, but Raph stops me and pulls me into the dojo.

"What the shell were you doing?" He cuts straight to the chase.

"I don't what you're talking about." I try to brush him off, but he refuses to let go.

"Don't even try to deny it. I saw her too. The Foot was watching us and all you did was show off, showing exactly how we fight."

"Not the Foot, Karai!" I correct angrily.

"Karai is the Foot."

"No she's not, and she's already seen me fight, remember? And what happened to keeping my secret? You almost told Donnie and Mikey!"

"No, I hinted. And Donnie and Mikey won't find out about your precious little crush from what I said." He pauses, then corrects himself. "Mikey won't figure it out from what I said. And I said I wouldn't tell. I never said I liked it. Leo, she's just using you."

"No she's not! Quit acting like you know her!"

"I do know her, and she's an evil goth chick with issues! She's going to turn on you, Leo. You're just too blind to see it." My hands are once again clenched into fists. How dare he speak about her that way!

He notices my stature. "What, going to hit me again? That witch is already changing you, and hitting me won't change the truth."

My anger fills me up. I can literally feel it course through me at his words. She is not evil! Yes, she's in the Foot, but there is good in her. He's just too blind and prejudice to see that!

I am trembling from holding in my rage. Why is it that lately Raph seems to know all the right buttons to push to make me furious? I'm usually able to let it wash over me and keep calm, and I certainly shouldn't be getting angry over him insulting a Foot, but it feels like he is attacking me to the very extreme when he attacks Karai.

Raph notices my shaking form. "Uh, Leo, are you all right?" For the first time, his confident angry mask slips away to revel an unsure one of concern and fear.

I stalk out of the dojo in a speedwalk. I ignore my other brothers and stop in front of the punching dummy. I reel back, then let all my anger transfer into a single kick. "Hyah!" The chain snaps and the dummy goes flying across the room. I pant angrily and snort like a riled up bull.

"Whoa!"

"Leo! What - "

"Leo?!"

"Leonardo?" Great, even Sensei saw my little episode. What is wrong with me? Why am I no longer a stone, letting the river of insults wash over me? Karai has changed me. She means so much that I got angrier than I have been in a very long time when Raph insulted her.

"Leo?"

"Leonardo?"

I - I need to leave. Regain my cool. Calm myself and find my Chi.

"I need some air." I run out of the Lair, dashing away from the stares of my family and making for the surface.

"Raphael, what is wrong with Leonardo?" I hear Sensei behind me.

"I wish I knew Sensei. I wish I knew." Raph's voice echoing is the last thing I hear before I am out of earshot.

I rush up to the rooftops and start running once more. I clear my mind of everything, like when I meditate, and just concentrate on my feet stabbing the concrete every step of the way.

Slowly but surely, my anger fades away. When I no longer feel the sharp sting of fury, I slow down and allow some thought to drift back into my brain.

I overreacted. There was no call for me to blow up. Yes, Raph insulted the girl I have a crush on, but that was no excuse for the level of anger I felt.

He kind of had a point. Karai was changing me, just not the way Raph thought. I have never felt the way I feel now before I met her. I have never felt that mix of delight and nervousness and excitement and thrill before, and I love the way the emotion feels when it runs through me and makes me feel tingly and I love the tight knot in my stomach that's painful in a good way. Raph doesn't know how she makes me feel, and that's why he will never get it, and why he will only see my anger when he insults her. He doesn't know the happiness she brings me by just being in my thoughts or the pleasure sparring or showing off to her inspires. I feel so different around her than when I'm with April or my brothers, and Raph will never understand that.

* * *

**KARAI'S POV**

I walk back to Foot headquarters, climbing in through the window instead of coming through the door. It may be slightly more difficult, but not when you're a highly trained kunoichi, and it's actually quicker.

An odd scene greets me when I crawl through the hole in the glass on the top floor. Xever is out of his fish tank and on robotic legs. Legs he seems to have no control over. They're dragging him all over the room in a quick jog or a forced march. Bradford is watching in absolute mirth, banging on the floor and laughing while the geek scientist we hired, Stockman, is banging on some kind of control panel. I'm guessing it's was causing Xever's trouble with his new legs.

Stockman finally manages to shut the machine just as Shredder, or Father, take your pick, walks up behind him. From the tone of his voice, he has seen the whole thing and is not happy. Stockman starts to stammer out an explanation, but Father cuts him off and starts to threaten him. If he doesn't show promising results soon he'll cut off his legs, you'll wish the turtles had gotten you, blah, blah, blah. I roll my eyes. New town, new flunkie scientist, same old threats. Father should really let up on Stockman, though, at least a little. I have seen what he can do and though he is completely pathetic, he is invaluable with his knowledge of technology. I know for sure we can't build anything like this.

I put Stockman out of his misery and flip down to the ground floor. "Father, we spotted the turtles fighting robots in some backstreet alley. But they were controlled by these slimy alien brain things inside."

"Your mission is to destroy the turtles and hunt down Hamato Yoshi. Everything else is a distraction." Father growls.

"Distraction? Father, don't you want to know what's going on? Splinter's deciphals are turtles! Mutants! Your own men got turned into hideous freaks!" I cry, pointing at said hideous freaks."Don't you think we should be trying to figure out what's going on? I mean there's more to life than your vendetta."

"There is nothing more!" Oops. I've gone too far.

"Don't you remember what Hamato Yoshi did to me?" He circles around behind me. "To us?" He continues in that same intimidating voice. I do not remember the last time he spoke in any other, actually.

"Everyday he lives is a stain on our honor we must wipe clean." He walks away from me. "Stay focused on your mission, Karai."

"I understand. Father." I walk out, taking the roof again. So Father refuses to investigate the aliens. He dismisses them because they are not connected to his vendetta. But I have a feeling they are not good, for any of us. I need to learn more, but how?

A faint grin touches my lips. Leo. He seems to know a lot about them, and as my friend he should hopefully tell me.

I feel a twinge of surprise when I realized what I had called Leo. I called him a friend. I know he said we were friends before, but this is the first time I've actually accepted it. What I told him was true; I have never had a friend before. My father is infamous in Japan, which wards away people at school, and people come and go all the time in the Foot clan, so it's easier to stay detached from everyone. But Leo. He's different. He is not in the Foot, so he won't disappear, and he doesn't know just how close to Shredder I am.

He confuses me. Why does he want to be friends with me? We're on the opposite sides of a war, yet he is polite and kind to me. He truly acts like he wants to and likes being my friend. But why? I shake my head. It doesn't matter why. All that matters is that he does and I accept it. Now I just have to find him.

* * *

After an hour of scouring the city, I find him sitting on a ledge, staring at the skyline. "Anything interesting out there?" I say in a loud voice from behind.

He doesn't even flinch and without missing a beat he says, "The city. It's beautiful all lit up." I sit down near him and look at the skyscrapers decked in gold and white and the splashes of red, blue, green and other colors. There is something pretty about it at night, something that Tokyo doesn't convey to me, but no way I'm going to say that.

I snort. "This is nothing. You should see Tokyo."

He smiles sadly at me and shakes his head. "I wish I could." Oh. Right. It may seem stupid, but I forget Leo isn't human. He acts just like one, so I forget he's actually a mutant.

"I'll send you a postcard." I joke.

He chuckles softly. "Looking forward to it already."

"So what're you doing out here so late?" I ask, trying to keep the conversation going.

"I could ask you the same question."

"Yeah, but I asked you first." He chuckles again and the sound sends a shiver down my spine.

"If you must know, and I suspect you do, I had another fight with Raph and staying underground was not an option." I blink, surprised. He would tell me that?

"Now what's your excuse?"

"I saw some weird robots earlier this evening and some green mutant take them out. Thought you might know what their deal is."

"Their deal is they're incredibly dangerous. Stay away from them." He warns me.

"I like them already. Something is going on. What is it?"

He sighs. "Karai, I'm not kidding. They're bad news. They may be horrible shots, but there are many of them. They shouldn't be taken lightly."

"Okay, at least tell me who "they" are."

"They are the Kraang. They're aliens from another dimmension."

"What are they doing here then?"

"That's the million dollar question. We don't know besides snatching scientists and mutating things."

Crud. I thought for sure that Leo would know something about these Kraang, but apparently not.

"Why are you in the Foot?" Leo's voice catches me off guard and it is a moment before my brain comprehends what he's saying.

"What?"

"Why are you in the Foot?" He asks again, a little more nervous.

"Because it's fun." I smirk at him, but he just frowns.

"What about your life back in Japan? School? Your parents? You just dropped it all to trek over here to New York with Shredder?"

"I'm homeschooled." I snap. "And my mother is dead and my father... was never around." Not exactly a lie. It never feels like my father is with me and he was always away on business.

"Oh." Leo looks shocked and guilty. "Karai, I - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry about your mother. I - sorry." He finishes lamely.

I sigh and stare back out at the city. "It's okay. I just wish I had had a chance to know her. She died when I was a baby."

Leo looks even more guilty for bringing it up. "Oh. I'm sorry Karai."

There is a lump in my throat and my vision blurs. No. I won't cry in front of Leo. I try to control myself, but sadness still overwhelms me. I do not think about my mother often, so when I do, it feels like a truck hit me.

Leo is leaning forward and looking at me. I turn away, trying to hide my emotions, but Leo is (curse him) very perceptive. He slowly reaches an arm up, wraps it around my waist, and pulls me close into in a hug, wrapping his other arm around me to touch his own.

"I'm sorry Karai. I know I can't understand exactly how you feel as I never had a mother, but I know I would feel awful if my Sensei or one of my brothers passed on. But I'm sure she loved you very much and is watching over you now. She will be with you always." He whispers in my ear in his calm, gentle voice. I feel tears escape and roll down my cheek as I lean in on him. Why can Leo draw emotions out of me? I have not cried in years, but after 5 minutes with Leo, I have broken down.

He is warm. This surprises me. Turtles are cold-blooded, but Leo is quite warm and cozy. I can hear his heartbeat as I lay my head on his upper plastron. He tenses slightly at the contact, but then relaxes and holds me a little tighter. Time fades away. All I can feel is the warmth of his body against mine as he hugs me and the beat of his heart. Slow and steady. Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom. This moment lasts an eternity and an hour more. I have never felt more vulnerable, yet I have also never felt so safe.

"You don't have to do this." Leo's voice shatters the limbo I've been hanging in. I lift my head and lean away to look at him, his arms falling back to his own sides.

"What?"

"You don't have to stay in the Foot. You can leave. It's not the only option. You could just walk away."

He looks so sincere and earnest and naive, I have to laugh. "You're adorable." Where did that come from?! "Stupid, but adorable." I add in a rush, hoping my insult will drive what else I said from his mind.

No such luck. "R-r-really? Ya-you think I'm - " he stammers, his face turning pink and his lips twisting into a strange smile.

"I can't leave. It's complicated. I have a... commitment." I cut him off.

"But - "

"I can't. I have a duty to Shredder." Why is he so insistent?

He sighs. "I won't be able to change your mind anytime soon, will I?"

"What made you think you ever could?" I taunt.

"Fine. But Karai, if you ever come after my brothers, I don't care what obligation you have to Shredder. I will fight you, for real. Hear me?"

I smirk at his bravado and stand up. "Loud and clear."

I run to the opposite edge of the roof and jump to the next, then the next, then the next until Leo's rooftop is just a speck in the distance. Time to head home. It is rather late.

* * *

2:30 am.

I have been lying in my bed for over an hour, but sleep will not come. I roll over once more and make a futile attempt to think of nothing and drift off. Instead, like it has been for the last hour, Leo's face fills my mind. His adorably naive, caring smile, his beautiful, stormy, azure blue eyes, and that cute sheepish look on his face he gets when I tease him. The sound of his laughter is still ringing in my ears, and I can still feel the warmth and security of his arms around me.

What is wrong with me? I'm thinking in Leo in terms of beautiful and cute, and I can't STOP thinking about him. I can't stop thinking about how kind and polite and caring and adorable and insanely brave and delightfully bashful and sweet and skillful at ninjitsu and funny he is. I remember how he showed off for me and how much I actually enjoyed it and how I was actually impressed. He's so loyal and strong and...

I review my thoughts of the last couple of minutes. Ugh, I sound like a lovesick puppy.

It hits me right then. Hard. I have a crush. I HAVE A CRUSH ON LEO. Oh God. No. It can't be. But the more I think about, the more I realize it's true. I have a crush on Leo.

I groan and shove my head deep into my pillow. Great. I have a crush on my sworn enemies deciphal. Better start loading up on poison, Juliet. Oh, and warn Romeo to keep his dagger sharp.

**So? What do you think? Was Karai too OOC? For the love of all things decent, PLEASE REVIEW! It's what keeps me going and inspires me to battle the fiend known as writers block to create this story!**

**Up next, my rewrite of the WWGP scene, or rather, what happened afterwards. Until next time, Katana over and out!**


	5. Beginning

**Hey, I'm back on this very special (to me) day! Here is the fifth chapter of We Are. Please enjoy. **

**MY FIRST DISCLAIMER (because I've been too lazy to do it before): I do not own TMNT or any of the movies mentioned.**

**_BEGINNING_**

**KARAI'S POV**

I pushed a button. That may not seem like a huge deal, but it was. At the push of that button, the colored fluid in the large containers around me, which I had learned from the turtles was DNA, drained into the huge batch of mutagen in the center of the lab. The colors swirled and started clumping together into a huge bunch, creating something, somehow.

Green smoke hisses out of the container, blanketing the floor. A black tentacale flops out if the mess with a squish, then disappears. A sucking, oozy sound, and a Kraang droid drops. Another noise, and another Kraang goes. I back away from the control panel to Leo's side, wondering what it was I just created. My foot hits something, and I look down. An Kraang bot, minus the Kraang. Perfect. Exactly what I came for.

The smoke parts, and I am distracted by my monster. It's - it's -

"Awwww! It's so cute!" The orange masked turtle coos. He's right. Even though it's a freak of nature, something about its enormous eyes and floppy ears give it a cute appearance. Not as cute as a certain mutant I know, but pretty cute.

The... thing cocks its head at us, as if it knows what we're thinking, then stretches its head up... and up... and up! Its eyes go out on stalks and its huge mouth opens as it lets out a terrible scream. It waves its tentacles and starts destroying Kraang, like I had hoped it would. It is no longer cute in any way, shape or form.

"Whoa, that is wicked!" I gasp, before remembering the droid at my feet and grabbing it.

"How the heck am I going to name this?" The orange one complains, gesturing at the mishmash of animal in front of us.

I roll my eyes as I lift the bot onto my back. "Good question." I say sarcastically. "Well, see ya." I move to leave, but a hand on my upper arm stops me. They pull me around to face them. It's Leo, of course.

"Aren't you going to help us beat this thing? You created it!" He sounds angry with me, and I bite my lip.

"I would love to, but I really have to go. I'll tell you later."

"No. EXPLAIN NOW." His grip tightens on my arm. My patience, and my time, is running out.

"Leo, I'm trying to help you, and your brothers, but to do that I have to leave now! Please let me go! Trust me!"

He looks taken aback for a second. This isn't what he expected to hear. He thinks for a second, then nods. "Okay, I trust you." He lets go off my arm. "But I want a very good explanation!"

I'm frozen in place for a second, shocked at his words even though they are what I wanted to hear, then smile at him and start running. "Meet at the Byerly Building tonight." I call over my shoulder. I see him nod, then charge into battle against the mutant.

I smirk, then crawl out of the building. I leap the rooftops as fast as I can, aiming straight for the abandoned church Shredder's been using as his base (ironic when you think about it), the empty droid bouncing against my back every step of the way.

* * *

**LEO'S POV**

I lean against the fire escape, standing away from my brothers, staring out at the burning building below. I smell the smoke and can feel the heat of the flames even from here. I listen to the symphony of sirens as fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars pull up to investigate. For a minute, I toy with the idea of the police finding a Kraang, or some of their tech or something that would indicate WWGP's true nature. But I dismiss it. The Kraang are too good for that.

I can feel my brothers stares burning a hole in my shell. They are waiting for me to explain the mysterious girl that two of us knew. I should explain. But I don't know what to say. I don't know everything yet. I don't know where to begin, or what I should say to defend myself and Karai.

"So..." Mikey starts. I wince. It begins.

"We're thinking someone should start talking." Donnie finishes, sounding more than a little ticked off. I remember what he said during our fight with the mutant Mikey had named Justin. 'I don't know who she is, but I know I hate her!'

I sigh. "I can't. I - I can't explain it. Not yet." I really can't. I don't have all of the pieces yet.

"Leo!" Unsurprisingly, it's Raph. "You can't be serious. She almost killed us and you're still protecting her?! What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me Raph. She has a reason for what she did."

"Then let's hear this magical reason."

A drop of sweat rolls down my forehead. "I don't know it, yet. She said she would meet me later tonight and tell me then."

"Leo," Raph rolls his eyes, looking thoroughly exasperated. "She was lying to you so you would let her go and you fell for it."

"She wasn't lying. I know when someone lies to me and she was telling the truth."

"Leo - "

"Raph, she told me to trust her and I do. That should be good enough for you." I turn away from him and my bewildered brothers. Why doesn't Raph trust ME to know what I'm doing?

"Sorry Leo, there is no way in shell I will ever trust a Foot."

I narrow my eyes. "How many times do we need to argue about this? She's not the Foot!" Something stirs inside me. Anger.

"Really? Could have fooled me. She acts like one, dresses like one, fights like one! What more does she need?"

I can't take much more of this without blowing up. "I'll see you guys later." I try to escape to go see Karai, to hear what she has to say, but Raph grabs me.

"No way Leo! That girl is bad news! She's brainwashing you and you don't even realize it! She'll just lie to you and mess you up even further!"

"I am not brainwashed or messed up and I am going to give her a change to explain. Let. Go." My voice is hard and cold, yet a undercurrent of anger clearly heard. My brothers are shocked at my tone. So am I.

Raph is taken aback for a second, but regains his resolve quickly."No."

"Let go of me Raphael." The same icy, fiery tone.

"No Leo. You shouldn't be anywhere near that witch." Witch?!

The now familiar feeling of anger bubbles and churns in my chest. It pumps through my veins and rocks me to my core. The control I have had over my emotions all these years is gone. The seal has broken, been broken by Karai, and now everything bursts forth. All the anger, sadness, annoyance, and just plain fury I have pushed deep down over the years splashes over me like a wave. Is this how Raph feels all the time? Like he is drowning in anger? I breath in and out, trying to calm down, (there is no reason to be this angry) but I can't.

"Leo? Are you okay?" Mikey asks fearfully, afraid of my response. I breath a bit more. The anger fades. Slightly. Not enough. I'm still mad.

"I'm fine, Mikey. Or at least, I will be, if Raph lets me go before I explode."

"Not a chance Leo." His grip on my arm tightens. It hurts, I vaguely register.

"Raph, I mean it."

"So do I." This is pointless. Completely and totally pointless. He won't give in, but neither will I. I need to go and there is no way Raph is stopping me.

"Then... I'm sorry." I apologize. I barely see the look of surprise on his face before I punch him for the second time in my life. He staggers back into my gaping brothers.

My anger fades, disappears. Punching Raph allowed me to vent my feelings. Now all I feel is regret I had to hit him to make him let go, and an urgent need to leave, for more than one reason.

"I have to go." I look at my brothers, all still in shock that calm Leo actually punched his brother, then leap off the fire escape. I run and don't look back, my vision focused on the skyscraper in the distance.

She'd better have an absolutely fantastic explanation.

* * *

**KARAI'S POV**

It has been 27 minutes since I left the lab. It has been 21 minutes since I gave the Kraang to Shredder and Stockman. It has been fourteen since I left the headquarters. It has been nine since I got here. I had expected Leo to be waiting for me, but there's no sign of him.

I would never admit, but I'm getting a little worried. Maybe the mutant was tougher than I had first guessed. What if it... did... something to him?

Calm down Karai. Leo is a perfectly capable ninja and he had backup. He's fine. Just a little late, that's all.

Unconsciously, I start pacing. Where is he?

A small thump behind me. I smile.

"I was beginning to think you were a no-show." I turn around.

He smirks. "Cute." Cute?! He called me cute?! Oh get it together, Karai.

"So how'd it go? Did Orange ever give the thing a name?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. He decided to call it Justin."

I snort. "Justin? Really?"

"Better than his other idea."

"Which was?"

"Octo Eyeball Jelly Bug." It proves impossible for him to say that with a straight face.I flat out laugh.

"I would've gone with Justin too."

Leo smiles at me, then lets it shrink away as his expression turns serious. "Okay Karai, tell me I had a good reason for defending you against my brothers, punching Raph again, and letting you go."

"You punched him again?" I blink in shock. "For me?"

"Well, he wasn't going to let me come and I had to get him to let go somehow. And quit changing the subject. Why did you leave us to clean up your mess?"

"I was trying to get Shredder off your guys' tails." A sudden thought. "Do you guys have tails? I mean, normal turtles do and -"

"Karai."

"Right, right, I'll save it for later. At first, I was just curious about what the Kraang were up to when I started following you guys. But then I realized that Shredder might find the technology useful. Useful enough to turn some of his efforts away from hunting you guys down and towards the Kraang. But I needed to prove that usefulness to him. Then I remembered Xever."

"Xever?" One side of Leo's mask goes up, like he's cocking an eyebrow. "What does he have to do with the Kraang?"

"When he mutated, he lost his legs, and therefore any usefulness to Shredder. But we recently hired this pathetic excuse for a mad scientist, Stockman, to build him legs and a way to breath on land."

"You've got Spockton, I mean Stockman working for the Foot too? What, does Shredder put help wanted ads in the paper or something?" Leo asks, exasperated.

I chuckle. "Not exactly. Anyway, Stockman has been having trouble with the control panel or something like that. So I figured if I could get tech that helped him out, Shredder would realize the Kraang are worth looking into, and concentrate some of his forces on them. That's that many forces not looking for you and your brothers or planning some dastardly crime for you to foil. And it worked. Shredder is now very interested in the Kraang."

Leo looks at me surprised. "You - you did all that for me?"

"I didn't do that much. And what kind of person would I be if I let my only friend get hunted down after only a week? I have to wait at least a month before I let that happen." I joke around, blowing off his question.

The corners of his mouth twitch into a smile. "Still, thank you Karai. It means a lot to me and my family. Maybe they'll stop thinking you're totally evil when I tell them." He takes a step closer to me.

"They're probably right. I'm no saint." I try to shrug it off, but for some reason, those words affect me. 'Totally evil.'

"Karai, there's good in you. I've known that from the start, and you've just proved it." He takes another step and so do I.

"What do you mean?"

"You just did something completely selfless to help a friend. That's good in my book. And I'm sorry for doubting you."

I shake my head. "You were right to be wary. I'm sure it looked extremely bad, creating a monster, then leaving you guys to fight it."

"Good thing I trust you then." I smile at him, not smirking for once.

"Thank you, Leonardo, for trusting me." He smirks at my formality.

"You're quite welcome, Miss Karai." He bows low. When he lifts his head back up, I realize how close we are. We've been drifting towards each other during the entire conversation, like magnets. There are only a few inches between us now, and his stormy blue eyes seem larger and more striking then ever before. They are of an endless depth, smart and kind and caring. There's something else there, something tender and quiet, but real.

I lean in closer and he mirrors me. I haven't noticed before, but we are the exact same height, Leo maybe a smidge shorter than me. I am going to kiss him. It comes to me just then. I am going to kiss Leonardo. And so I do.

I lightly, ever so gently press my lips to his larger mouth. It feels... normal. Like any other guy on Earth's. His mouth feels human, just bigger than normal. His eyes open wide with shock, then shut blissfully as he kisses me back and I shut mine as well. He even presses back, adding his force to meet mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him even closer then before. I feel a large arm around my waist and another wrapped around my shoulders, cupping the small of my back.

He isn't bad, I giddily think as our lips open and close and smash into each other with care. He's a pretty good kisser, considering this is his first time.

My hand creeps up to cup his head, my fingers tangling in his mask tassles. He follows my lead and one hand is braided into my short hair. We are swaying, I register. Swaying and leaning back and forth into one another, almost like a dance. A dance I never want to end. I have kissed other guys before, but none like Leo. None I've actually felt this strongly about.

But eventually the dance does end. I do have to breath, even if turtle boy doesn't. I pull away and suck in air. He leans in a little, then opens his eyes and realizes I'm gone. He stands up straight and blushes a deep red. I giggle a little and he goes even redder and starts rubbing the back of his head.

"Uh, um, th-thanks." He stutters out.

"You're welcome hero boy." I smile at him, amused by his reaction.

"So... um... what now?" His blush won't be going away anytime soon.

"I don't know." I think. "How about a movie?"

"Uh, kinda can't Karai. Mutant turtle." He gestures to himself.

"Don't worry. I have a plan." I grab his hand...

* * *

...and lead him across town to this 24 hour movie theater I frequent. We land on the roof and I show him a vent duct. I pry the grill off and crawl inside. "Come on Leo."

He looks hesitant. "Isn't this stealing? I mean, we're cheating the movie out of it's money."

"Come on Leo, how else will you get to see it? And teens do this all the time. As long as you pay to get through the front door, they don't care how many movies you see. Sneaking in is the easiest thing in the world."He chews on it.

I sigh. "Leo, please. I'll pay for three tickets next time I come, okay? Or do you just not want to go out with me? Because you could just say something."

He blushes. "Th-this is a date?"

"Well, we just kissed and now we're going to the movies, so what would you call it?"

"A - A date."

"Exactly. And do you really want to be going home earlier than you have to?"

He sighs. "No, not really. All right, I'm game. The sun rises at 6:47 though. I have to be underground by then."

"Perfect. Enough time for two movies. And guess what's starting in 7 minutes?"

He smiles and rolls his eyes. "Knowing you, something gory and/or actiony "

"How does The Avengers sound?" I smirk.

His eyes widen and a huge, silly grin stretches across his face. "No way! Really?! I've been dying to see that!"

"Well then." I crawl into the duct and hear Leo follow me close behind.

This isn't the first time I've sneaked into a movie this way. I've done it a lot, actually. This theater is absolutely perfect. The theater is old and huge rafters crisscross the ceiling, with more than enough room to sit comfortably on.

Peeking through vents, I find the room that was showing the movie (the room with the most people crammed in), and wave Leo over. We crawl to a rafter in the center and settle against a post just in time for the previews. Nothing catches my eye, and soon the movie begins.

I didn't expect to like a movie about superheroes so much, but I actually get really into it. The jokes are hilarious and the action scenes are intense. The plot is complex, yet easy to follow.

About halfway through the movie, I lean against Leo. He immediately wraps his arm around my shoulder, and I'm surprised he didn't yawn to cover it up. I smirk. He's getting more confident.

Almost too soon, the movie ends and the lights flicker on. Leo and I scurry into the ducts, and I lead him to another theater with the commercials playing.

"What did you think?" I ask him as we find a new rafter to hang out on.

"That was awesome! It's my new favorite movie!" He flashes me that cute goofy grin.

"Black Widow was the best Avenger."

He smirks. "I figured you say that. Captain America is the best, though."

"No way. Black Widow could beat him any day."

"Uh, indestructible shield and army training and super powers."

"KGB and years of experience and a gun."

"Okay, truce. They'd tie." He holds up his hands in mock surrender.

"May-be." I tease.

"Iron Man is definitely the funniest though."

"Agreed. 'That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did!'"

Leo laughs at my impression. "So what movie is this?"

"I believe it's - " The screen turns from an ad for Coke to a rapidly growing island and a voiceover.

"This is Berk."

"- How To Train Your Dragon." I finish.

He cocks his head at me. "Didn't take you for a Dreamworks fan."

I shrug. "Not really, but unless you want to see Letters to Juliet..."

"No no! This is fine!" He hurries to say, then turns his attention back to the screen. I smirk. That's what I thought he'd say. Animated movie or chessy romantic comedy? Not much of a compation.

I feel a hand snake down my arm and grasp my own, effectively enveloping mine, strong yet gentle. I lean against him and smile.

"And by the way," he whispers in my ear, "I would love to go on a date with you."

I have been on dates before, both on and off duty, but like the kiss, none have been like this or felt this right. It's different, watching the movie from the rafters, leaning against a shell instead of a chest, this entire thing really, but I like it, and I like Leo, and I like where my relationship with him is going. I like it a lot.

**So what did you think? Personally I think it could be better, especially the kiss scene, but until I get expirence (which won't be any time soon), I won't update that part. REVIEW! OR I'LL SIC RAPH ON YOU!**

**Okay, so Leo and Karai are both extremely happy. Enjoy it while it lasts, because the next chapter is *thunder rumbling* THE REACTION CHAPTER!**

**You know the rules! I'm going with the flow on this one, so i have no clue what will happen! More reviews though equals faster updates!**

**Unmasked fans; I'm so sorry, but the next chapter has been the death of me and many pencils.**

**Have a magical day!**


	6. Forbidden

**Sixth chapter! I'm so excited! To recap, Leo and Karai kissed, then went to the movies on a date! Yay!**

**Okay, slightly off topic, I was coming home from my grandparents house a couple of weeks ago and we had to cut through this small town and we passed a pizza shop called Turtleini's, NOT KIDDING! There was a turtle in a chefs's hat on the sign and it was adorable and I immediately thought of TMNT.**

**And I went to see Captain America 2 and the two main superheroes were Capt. (of course) and BLACK WIDOW! So I was sqeauling on the inside because all I could think of was my last chapter.**

**Anyway, excuse my rambling and enjoy!**

FORBIDDEN

LEO'S POV

I wish the night could last forever. I wish sunlight would never start trickling over the horizon. I wish I would never have to go back underground and face Raph and Master Splinter. I wish I could just hang out at the movies on my date with KaraI.

You don't alway get what you wish for. You almost never do, and this is one of those times.

Hours after I ran away from my brothers on the fire escape, the sun starts to rise. No matter how much I would love to avoid going underground, staying up on the surface is not an option. Not unless I want to be seen. I quickly exchange goodbyes with Karai, then make for the nearest manhole cover.

6:48 AM. I am walking through the sewers back home, not sure how I will explain everything. But Raph has probably already told Master Splinter. Told him how I am friends with a girl in the Foot. How I want to be more than just friends. How I hit him. Twice.

The fact he doesn't know about the kiss is only a small comfort.

It is too much to hope that the main room will be empty. Of course it's not. Waiting for my arrival are Mikey, Donnie, and Raph. Mikey and Donnie have slightly stunned expressions. Raph has a bruise again.

I say nothing and wait for them to talk first.

"Sensei wants to see you in the dojo." Mikey says softly.

I nod and head to the door. I poke my head around the corner and see Master Splinter in his meditative pose. I walk over to him, bow, and sit down before him.

"Leonardo, what have you been up to this last week?"

"Sensei I - wait, hasn't Raph already told you?"

"Raphael has told me what he knows, but I wish to hear the story from your perspective."

"Well Sensei, about a week ago, I - I meet a girl. Her name is Karai, and she's my, um, best friend. But she's kind of in the Foot."

I pause, trying to think of anything to make that sound better. I can't. I move on.

"I met her on a rooftop where she overtook me. I was helpless, but she let me go. I saw her again later that night and we dueled. She's really good, actually. It ended in a tie and she asked me to meet her on a certain highrise. I did, and we had a rematch that was cut short."

I use the same story I use with Raph. I didn't tell Raph about the sword and I'm certainly not telling Sensei.

"Later, I was wandering the city when Raph found me. I had seen April for - advice on what to do and she told Raph when he came looking for me. Raph was furious with me for being friends with a girl in the Foot and started ragging on me for it, saying how evil she was and who she was just trying to get close so she could kill me and what a monster she was. But he hadn't even met her, Sensei. He had no right to judge. He kept going on and on and it - it ticked me off. I told him to stop and tried to leave, but he wouldn't let me go. I got mad and lost control. He had pushed my buttons too many times for one day, and I lost it. I hit him, not Snakeweed. I ran and Karai found me again. She cheered me up, sort of, and we sparred a bit more. Raph found us, and so did Snakeweed. Karai helped us take him down, Sensei. Later, I made Raph promise not to tell."

Master Splinter sighs. "And what of the events of the past two days?"

"Yesterday night on patrol, I spotted Karai and didn't say anything about it. Raph confronted me later, he saw her as well, and started going off on her again. I got angry, angrier than I had been in years. I'm not sure why. I got mad and, well, you saw what I did. I - I don't know what got into me. I ran and, um, cooled down."

I don't tell Master Splinter about my time that night with Karai. It's a personal memory, one that gives me a warm glow and one I keep close to my heart. I'm not ready to give it up yet.

"She followed us to the Kraang lab tonight in search of information on the Kraang. Raph found her and they fought. I tried to stop them and ended up setting off an alarm in the process. The Kraang attacked and we fought them, Karai fighting on our side. We were surrounded though, there were too many. All but Karai. She provided a distraction by creating a mutant that quickly devastated the Kraang. She left in the middle of the battle. I stopped her and asked her why she was leaving us to clean up her mess. She said she was trying to help us, that I needed to trust her and let her go and she would explain later. I trust her, so I let her go. We took down the mutant. My brothers asked me to explain, but I couldn't. I didn't know the entire story yet, and I didn't know what to say. Raph was furious with me and we fought some more. I tried to leave to talk to Karai about what she did, but Raph refused to let me go. I asked him again and again and finally I - I hit him again. I was angry again and I just let my emotions carry me away. He let go and I went to talk to Karai. She did it to help us Sensei. She showed Shredder the Kraang and convinced him that it was worth investigating. That means that those forces won't be used to hunt us down. Karai is a good person, Sensei. She helped us and she's my friend."

I finish my story, slightly out of breath.

"Where were you after you talked with this Karai?"

"I - I was running, wandering the city thinking." I lie.

He shakes his head sadly. "You have never been a good liar, Leonardo. Where were you really?"

I blush at being found out. "I was hanging out with Karai. She's my friend, after all, and I didn't want to face Raph sooner than I had to."

Master Splinter sighs again. "Leonardo, deception is the kunoichi's most important weapon. She will use it against you."

"Deception? Sensei, she's not deceiving me." I can't believe what he's saying.

"That's what they always say, right before they are betrayed. And she is. She is changing you. Before, you would have never hit your brother."

"Before, I had no reason to. It was completely my fault Sensei. I got angry. Raph has been ragging on me all day and between taking my place as leader and trying to keep me from being friends with Karai, I finally couldn't take it anymore. Same tonight. I just got angry with him. Sensei, she's sincere. She's a good person inside. I can sense it."

"Or perhaps you can sense feelings for this girl."

My face burns. "I never said anything about - "

"You did not have to. Raphael told me what you said to Miss O'Neil, the way you talk about her, and what you have told me about your actions with her confirms it. Leonardo, Raphael is right. You should not be anywhere near this girl. She has already seperated you from your brother and encouraged you to let your anger get the best of you. I forbid you from seeing her ever again."

What?! No no no no no no no!

"Sensei, please. I promise I will not let her come between me and my brothers, but she is important to me." I plead. No. This can't be happening.

Sensei shakes his head though. "I am sorry Leonardo, but this is for your own good."

My heart shatters. Numbness sets in. Never see Karai again? No. This can't be happening this can't be happening THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

"Sensei please!"

"That is my final word on the subject, Leonardo. Now go to your room."

I stand up on shaky legs, blinking back something warm and wet. I sway back and forth, unable to grasp what just happened. I can never see Karai again. Not without disobeying Sensei.

"She understands me, more than anyone else. She likes me for who I am, DESPITE who I am." I whisper, knowing Sensei can hear me. "And she did not separate me from Raph. He did that himself."

I walk numbly out of the dojo, past my brothers who are trying to pretend that they weren't eavesdropping, and into my room. I lie down on my bed and stare at the wall. Five hours ago, I was the happiest turtle alive. Happier than I have ever been before. Now I am absolutely devastated. Destroyed. It feels like someone has ripped out my heart. Unconsciously, I start to tremble. My best friend. The girl of my dreams. My girlfriend, even. Gone. I only met her a week ago, but she already means the world to me. But she is verboten. Off-limits. Forbidden.

I will never be happy again. My vision blurs. There is a lump in my throat the size of Manhattan. I gasp for air, but I can't get enough. Horrible, heartwrenching moans are filling the room. I can't find their source. It is raining. It must be, for water is dripping down my face. My vision clouds even further and I shut my eyes tight. The world around me fades away as I drown in misery and grief.

* * *

I don't know when I wake up. Somehow I kind of float between sleep and wakefulness before completely coming to my senses. I feel far from rested. My stomach aches along with my throat and my head and my heart. I feel like a wreck. I want to curl back up in my bed and cry myself back to sleep, but I need something to eat before returning to unawareful bliss. I drag my body out of bed and walk to the kitchen like a zombie. Sluggish, feet dragging, and uncaring about his surroundings.

Voices are coming from the kitchen. "Should I take some to Leo?" Mikey, his voice hinting concern.

"It might be best to leave him alone, Mikey." Donnie cautions.

"I don't see what he's so upset about." Raph. Cold and unfeeling as ever. My fists clench at his words.

"Dude, he can't see his best friend ever again. That's got to be devastating." Mikey. Sympathetic.

"And if what you said is true, he liked her too. And his dreams and hopes have been crushed." Donnie.

"It's for his own good. Karai -"(My heart gives a painful pang) "would have messed him up, betrayed him, or both."

"What do you know about Karai?" I croak. All eyes fly to me. Wide, filled with surprise and concern.

"Leo?" Mikey asks hesitantly. I nod. He has a pizza box in his hands. I flip open the lid. For the first time since, well, ever, it's plain cheese. Perfect. I grab a slice and scarf it down, then start to leave. I catch my image reflected on a pot. My mask is dark with stains, my tears clearly visible. My blue eyes are red and puffy, my face flushed. I don't just feel like a wreck; I look like one too.

"Do you want any more, Leo?" Mikey asks. Usually, I can eat four times the amount I took from him.

I shake my head. "Not hungry." I mumble.

"You should really eat Leo." I glare fiercely at Donnie. He flinches.

"I just did. And I'm not hungry." I trudge back to my room and crawl under my covers, trying to disappear from the world. The world does not cooperate.

There is a knock at my door. "Leonardo?" Master Splinter. Ordinarily, I would let him in without a second thought. But I'm angry. He is the one that taught me that everything is not as it seems, to trust our instincts and to give people second chances. But he threw all that out the window when he banished me from Karai. Where is her second chance? Where is her benefit of the doubt?

"Leonardo. Please let me in."

"I'm tired Sensei. I want to sleep." I can not keep a faint touch of anger out of my voice.

"Moping in bed will only make it worse, Leonardo."

"I'm not moping!" I snap, too upset to feel guilty about it.

"Then what are you doing hiding under the covers?" How did he know I was under my - oh, forget it.

"I'm - I'm mourning. Aren't I allowed to miss her? Or is that wrong and forbidden too?" I don't mean to say that. But I don't regret it.

I hear a sigh outside my door, filled with impatience and sadness. Master Splinter says no more and leaves me. Tears well up in my eyes once again. I truly miss her already.

Why can't they see the good in her like I can? Why don't they believe she was trying to help us? Why?

* * *

APRIL'S POV

Last night, the guys came back from their mission without Leo. One look from Raph, and I knew what this was about. Leo's gal pal in the Foot. Sensing Raph was about to come clean about everything, I made a hasty escape. I could't tell them anything Raph couldn't anyway, and this was one meeting I didn't mind missing.

Now I've finally escaped my aunt's overprotective eye and am walking into the Lair. I count one, two, three turtles in the living room, watching a movie on the TV, a horror flick.

"Hey guys." I greet them, getting a nod from Raph, a wave from Mikey, and a lackluster "Hey April" from Donnie. I frown slightly.

"Where's Leo? He did come home last night, right?"

"Oh, he came home alright, at around 7:00 in the morning. Cut it pretty close." Donnie frowned slightly.

"Went to talk to Sensei." Mikey adds.

"And?"

"Booked it to his room with the waterworks flowing." Donnie and Mikey glare at their brother. He notices. "What?"

"Dude, are you seriously that heartless?" Mikey says with unusual seriousness.

Raph shifts uncomfortably. "I'm not heartless. It's for his own good."

Donnie glares even harder. "There's no need to be so casual about it. You heard him too. He sounded like a wounded animal."

"Leo?" I raise an eyebrow. Somehow, I can't picture Leo crying.

"Yeah, pretty strange, huh?" Mikey nods.

"Let me get this straight. Because you guys all found out about his friend in the Foot, Leo started crying." I ask skepticly.

Donnie shakes his head. "Leo started crying because Sensei forbid him from seeing her ever again."

I'm blown away. Wow. "Okay, that makes more sense." Whoa. That's . . . that's kind of harsh.

"It's for his own good." Raph repeats. "I met the girl and she was definitely Foot. She was using him, I'd bet anything on it."

"Where's Leo now?" I ask.

They exchanged a look. "He's in his room, but you should leave him alone April. He's pretty upset." Donnie warns.

"He may like the company." I argue.

Raph shrugs. "It's her funeral."

"April, you should really leave him be." Donnie tries again to stear me away.

"I'm just going to check on him. It'll be fine." I turn away and walk towards Leo's room in the back. As I get close, I hear music filtering from under the door. I know that song. They Don't Know About Us, by One Direction. Something about it seems off, though. I sit down beside the door and listen. I realize what it is. Leo's singing along.

* * *

_People say we shouldn't be together_

_Too young to know about forever_

_But I say they don't know what they're talk-talk-talking about_

_Cause this love is onky getting stronger_

_And I don't want to wait any longer_

_I just want to tell the world that you're mine, girl!_

_Oh, they don't know about the things we do_

_They don't know about the I love you's_

_But I betcha if they only knew_

_They would just be jealous of us_

_They don't know about the up all night's_

_They don't know I've waited all my life_

_Just to find a love that feels this right_

_Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us_

_One touch, and I was a believer_

_Every kiss, it gets a little sweeter_

_It's getting better_

_Keeps gettIng better all the time girl!_

_They don't know about the things we do_

_They don't know about the I love you's_

_But I betcha if they only knew_

_They would just be jealous of us_

_They don't know about the up all night's_

_They don't know I've waited all my life_

_Just to find a love that feels this right_

_Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us_

_They don't know how special you are_

_They don't know what you've done to my heart_

_They can say anything they want_

_Cause they don't know us . . ._

_They don't know what we do best_

_It's between you and me, our little secret_

_But I want to tell them, I want to tell the world that you're mine, girl!_

_Oh, they don't know about the things we do_

_They don't know about the I love you's_

_But I betcha if they only knew_

_They would just be jealous of us_

_They don't know about the up all night's_

_They don't know I've waited all my life_

_Just for a love that feels this right_

_Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us_

_They don't about the things we do_

_They don't know about the I love you's_

_But I betcha if they only knew_

_They would just be jealous of us_

_They don't about the up all night's _

_They don't know I've wait all my life_

_Just for a love that feels this right_

_Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us_

_They don't know about us_

_They don't know about us_

* * *

Leo and the song finish. For a minute, I am frozen where I sit. I have never heard Leo so emotional. He poured his heart into that song. Maybe that girl was a Foot, but Leo loved her. Anyone who heard him sing that song would know that. I could hear his pain, his happiness, his sorrow and his anger in his voice, bouncing off the walls to the music. His emotions are completely sincere. He sang it with more passion and feeling than One Direction did.

I stand up, wait a few seconds, then knock on his door.

"Go away Mikey." A tense, muffled voice calls.

"I'm not Mikey."

"Oh." A pause. "Go away _April."_

"Come on Leo, let me in."

"April, I appreciate the concern, but I want to be alone."

"Leo..."

"April, I mean it." His tone is sharp and hard. He means it. But letting him broad alone in his room won't help him.

I try to think of something, anything I can ask him.

"What's her name?" I ask.

"What?" Surprised.

"What's the girl's name?" Five, ten seconds pass.

"Karai." He whispers, just barely audible.

"What's she like?" I gently probe. Silence meets me. "Leo?"

"Why do you care? You're the one who told me not to see her. You think she's just another Foot soldier, everyone does. But she has a good side, and when she helps us, you guys just ignore it. She's had a hard life and made some bad choices, but she's a good person."

"Maybe she is Leo -"

"She is."

"But Leo, if the Foot attacks, you need to be able to fight them. That includes Karai. Being friends with her . . . it just wouldn't work out."

"Yes it would. I would fight her to protect my brothers, but she wouldn't, not for real. I trust her."

"I know Leo, but . . . what if she is just using you?"

"She isn't!" Double thuds. Leo's on his feet. "She is not using me, she - she- she's not! You don't know her, you don't know what she's like, you don't know what she's done for me, you don't know about us, you don't know anything! She would never betray me!" The fury in his voice sends me reeling. I step back away from the door in shock. I have never heard Leo this angry or defensive. It's - it's honestly frightening.

I hear a thick sigh behind his door, heavy with sadness and guilt, and a small squeak as he sits back down on his bed.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to go off on you, April. I'm just kind of stressed and, I don't know. Sorry. But she isn't using me. I'll - I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay. Maybe I'll actually see you next time." I joke, still slightly in shock from his earlier outburst.

A small chuckle comes from under the door. "Sure, why not?" His attempt at lightheartedness falls flat. I can hear sorrow dripping from every syllable.

* * *

**So, yeah, I've ruined Leo's life! Sorry Leo, you know I love you. So yeah, Leo is crushed and angry with his family. What will happen next with his relationship with Karai? Well, you'll find out when I do!**

**I have a poll on my profile I would like answered, HINT HINT!**

**REVIEW! Or I'll bribe the Shredder to come destroy you!**

**I am not kidding.**

**Or am I? Or was I telling the truth? You dont't want to find out. MWAHAHA!**

**Just review.**


	7. Pining

**Seventh Chapter! OMG! This takes the place of Enemy of my Enemy, because everything would still have happened between this and Alien Agenda.**

**I don't exactly like how this turned out, I think I could have done better, but my muse says to post this NOW. And I don't llike arguing with my muse. It gets angry. Bad things happen.**

**Now before you dial your local insane asylum, here's a nice update!**

**Oh, and about Raph. I see it more like he really cares about Leo, he's just trying to protect him and get him to move on. **

**Enjoy!**

DONNIE'S POV

As I return from my trip to the surface, arms full of stuff I scavanged, I pass Leo lying on the couch, engulfed in his new hobby. I inwardly sigh at the sight and continue on to my lab. The flash drive Mikey recovered from TCRI told about a Kraang ship coming through the portal in a couple of nights. I've taken it upon myself to upgrade our tech and fix anything that could be useful.

I sit down at my lab table to work, but I can't focus on the task at hand. Instead, my mind wanders to Leo. This time I let my sigh escape and listen to it echo around my large, empty lab. I'm worried about him, to say the least.

Ever since he was told he couldn't see Karai, Leo hasn't been the same. After the initial first few days of weepy-ness, he became passive-agressive and hard. He doesn't talk much anymore, speaking only when it's absolutely necessary to complete the various missions we've been on, and always in that same cold flat voice. One that becomes colder and flatter when speaking to Raph. He hardly ever smiles anymore, a firm mask of a mixture of anger and stoicism tempered with sadness on his face.

We still haven't let him leave the Lair unaccompanied by one of us on Master Splinter's orders. Because of that, Leo has taken to locking himself in his room for hours on end when he seeks privacy, whish is becoming more and more frequent. It concerns me, him isolating himself so much.

He still trains, harder than ever actually. But he remains silent, only nodding to Sensei. He has been reading his books more than before, asking April for new ones about once a week. April obliges, and he'll vanish for a day or two reading his latest. He's lost a lot of interest in Space Heroes; I've actually seen him skip a few episodes, something he's never done before. He's taken up a new hobby, one that I just walked in on him doing. Leo will grab his T-pod I built him, plug in the headphones, and just stare at the ceiling in the main room, listening to music all night long. Once, late at night, I saw him crying a little, listening to his music.

It breaks my heart, seeing him so cold and detached from the rest of us, suffering in his own little ball. But what can I do? Master Splinter thinks it's best to keep him from seeing Karai, but it's obviously killing him. Sometimes I wonder if there was more to the story than he told us.

Personally, I've never met Karai, not really. So, I'm not sure which version is the true one, Raph's or Leo's. Is she really a good person who wants to be friends with Leo, or is she just trying to use him?

* * *

A couple of nights later, it's stakeout time. We set up camp on a rooftop with a clear view of TCRI. Leo stands watch over the building with me by his side, while Mikey and Raph goof off behind us. We wait, and wait, and wait. Nothing happens, and Mikey starts playing on his phone.

A couple of hours have passed, and no sign. I look over at Leo and notice sad eyes aimed at somewhere other than TCRI. I follow his line of sight and see the Byerly Building outlined against the moon.

Oh, Leo.

I place my hand on his shoulder and he looks back at me. "I know this is an extremely stupid question, but are you alright?" I ask in a gentle, low voice.

He turns his gaze to the ground and sighs, letting his mask slip for the first time in weeks. "I just - I really miss her. This wouldn't be so bad if . . ." He trails off.

"If what?" I ask, but he just shakes his head and resumes watch over TCRI, his wall back in place.

Another hour passes with no change. Leo uses his spyglass and zooms in on TCRI. He lowers it and shakes his head. Nothing. A silence falls over us, until . . .

"Wow this combat game is so realistic." Mikey says, twisting his phone this way and that.

"You want me to make it more realistic?" Raph threatens.

"Keep it down." Leo hisses. "We need to stay alert."

"Yeah," A hauntingly familiar voice calls out. "You never know what could sneak up on you." I see Leo stiffen, then adopt an expression of awe as he turns around along with us.

"Karai." He whispers, and for the first time in forever, my big brother smiles, and it's like the sun breaking through the storm.

"Hi Captain. Long time no see." She taunts, smiling back at him. Leo starts to take a step towards her, but Raph steps in front of him.

"Hold on Leo. Remember what Master Splinter said?"

Leo turns his furious gaze onto Raph, his eyes drilling two holes into Raph's head. "Do you honestly think I've forgotten? I owe her an explanation Raphael. She derserves that much."

Raph takes a step back, then reasserts himself and scowls. "Fine. But make it quick."

Karai stares at Leo. "Explanation? Leo, what's going on?" She glances at me and Mikey and adds, "Besides the obvious stakeout?"

Leo takes a deep breath, pushes pass Raph, stands close to her, and looks her in the eye, a pained look floating over him. "Karai, after I left my brothers by the lab, Raph took my brothers home and told my family everything. I tried to tell them how you did it to help us, but . . . they don't believe me. My sensei . . . he's forbidden me from seeing you again as anything but enemies."

A shocked look passes over her face, then she flashes through emotions. Disbelief, sadness, worry, surprise, helplessness, then finally she stops on rage. "What?! You can't be serious!" When his expression confirms it, she turns to the rest of us. "I try to help you. I try to do a good thing, and you - you - "

Her hand flies to her sword hilt and she prepares to draw. Leo grabs her hand though and pulls it away. "Karai, don't hurt them. They had nothing to do with it. Well, Raph told, but he had every reason to." He looks to Raph and mutters under his breath, "Although I wish he hadn't."

"You can let go of her hand now." Raph nods to Leo's arm, where his hand is still interlocked with Karai's. Leo blushes and hesitantly lets his grip on Karai loosen. Karai, however, tightens hers and returns her focus to Leo.

"Leo, he can't do this. Hamato Yoshi has already stolen someone from me; I will not let him do it again."

What? What is she talking about? Leo looks just as clueless.

"Karai, what are you - "

Of course, this is the moment the Kraang ship decides to finally show up.

* * *

LEO'S POV

Seriously! SER-I-OUS-LY! Can I talk to Karai for five minutes without a family member, mutant, or enemy interruppting? No, appereantly I can't, not even when I haven't spoken to her in weeks.

I am overjoyed to see her, though. These last few weeks have been tough, to say the least. It seemed like an ordeal just to drag myself out of bed everyday to face the threat of the Kraang and Shredder's goons and everything else. I don't talk to Raph or Master Splinter if I can help it, and just barely to Mikey and Donnie. It's not that I'm that mad at them, I just don't think I could hold my thoughts back if I started, and I'd do or say something I'd regret. Besides, I have nothing to say.

Everyday I think about her and our date. I think about our talks and my night on the rooftops where she cried on me. I also spend a great deal of time thinking about our kiss, trying to save the sensation and pull it up to relive over and over again. Shell, it's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. What I wouldn't give to do it again.

Mostly though, I think about our ban and her and music. I think about her, and I listen to music that reminds me of her and her love and mine, and how I feel. I've always loved music with a passion, but now I drown myself in it. Music is the soundtrack of my life. It speaks to me and draws emotions out and allows me a glimpse of understanding them. It also keeps me connected to Karai in a way, no matter how small that way may be.

Right now though, I'll have to put my old thinking, and my new questions on her outburst, on hold. The Kraang ship that Donnie found out about has come through the portal.

It turns around in a circle, scanning its surroundings until its giant metal eye halts on us. Uh-oh.

"This can't be good." I mumble.

The ship just . . . hovers for a few seconds. For a couple of foolish moments, I think it's going to pass us by. But of course I'm wrong. That would be too easy.

The ship starts humming, getting louder and louder pitched, then a pink laser/bolt of lightning/ray thing darts out of the eye. It touches down a few feet away and the concrete is turned to rubble. It's a ray gun.

"You have a plan for beating this thing?" Karai asks, her hand tight around mine as we all back away.

"Of course I do. Step one; run!" I shout, pulling her away, running across rooftops, the sound of my brothers footsteps close behind. I hear the sound of the ray gun firing behind us and look over my shoulder. My brothers are close on my tail, keeping a good distance between them and the Kraang ship.

"What is that thing?" Karai asks, easily keeping pace.

"Not sure, but off the top of my head, I'd say the Kraang use it for flying and shooting at things." I quip. We run past an alley, and Karai pulls into it. My brothers run past, and I silently will them to find cover as well. From what I've seen so far, we can't outrun or outgun it on the ground like this. They need to get underground or a nook or cranny if they want to escape.

"Leo, what are they doing?" Karai hisses, pulling me deeper into the alley.

"We got some information off of a flash drive at TCRI, the Kraang's base. They have a portal, Karai, a portal to their home world. They can bring anything they have in their dimmension to ours. And they have some wicked stuff, including that ship. Karai, they want to terriform the earth so they can colonize it. The super bad thing is, we can't breath their air. If they succeed, it's basically the end of the world."

Karai sucks in a deep breath, then lets it out in a heavy sigh. "I don't see you for a few weeks and this happens."

"Karai . . ." I'm at a loss for words.

"Leo, isn't there anyrhing you can do?" She doesn't mean the Kraang.

"Karai, if I knew a way to change my Sensei's mind, I wouldn't have to tell you this. I don't know what to do. Come over to our side!" I add quickly. "Please Karai."

She looks conflicted. "Leo, you know I can't. I have a obligation to Shredder."

"Karai, please." I plead.

"Leo, I can't leave the Foot. It's complicated."

"Karai, what -" I say her name for the third time. _Third times the charm,_ I think absentmindedly.

She cuts me off, not with words, but a kiss. All my words and thoughts are forgotten and I melt into her. My second kiss. It's just as amazing as I remember. Her small hands are clutching the folds of my mask, holding me in place. I grab her forearms, not to move them, but to pull her closer. This is so wrong in the eyes of my Sensei and my brothers, but in mine, there's never been anything so right.

I'm still not very good at this, so when she pulls back for air, I flounder for a second before regaining my footing. My face burns, but I don't mind.

"Leo . . ." Like I did before, she trails off.

"Karai, I swear, I'll do everything I can to see you, hopefully without disobeying my Master. " She smiles gratefully at me, and it gives me the courage to ask a question. "Karai, who has Hamato Yoshi stolen from you?"

Her face falls, and a look of sadness and maybe even fear washes over her, before she pushes it away. "You'd better go. Your brothers will be looking for you of you stay away any longer."

"But -"

"Leo, it's a long story. One I'm not ready to tell yet. I'll tell you, soon, I promise. Just - not now." She turns away and before I can say anything, she melts into the shadows, throwing a "See ya Captain." over her shoulder.

I stand there like a lost puppy for a second, then turn and leave the alley. When I round the corner, I see Donnie rush up to me. "There you are Leo!" He shouts. I keep my face blank, but something about his voice seems off to me.

"Donnie, where are Mikey amd Raph?"

"Underground in the sewer tunnel, waiting for us so we can all go back to the Lair." Still, his voice hitches in weird places, and the tone and pitch are strange. He's hiding something. Uh-oh. I keep calm though, and follow him into the sewers and meet up with my other brothers like nothing happened in the alley. Thankfully, no one mentions Karai, the focus of the conversation on the Kraang ship.

That changes when we get back to the Lair.

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

I pay no mind to my brothers or their conversation Leo was oh-so-eager to join in. A memory from just a couple of minutes ago is playing on a loop in my mind and all my thoughts centered around it. Leo, my older brother, kissing the Foot girl Karai. With absolutely no hesitation of any kind.

Oh my shell, what was he thinking?! He can't see her! His heart is already in pieces, is he trying to shatter it completely? As soon as I can, I need to get him alone and get an answer. I tell myself that calmly and rationaly and try to think of something else.

I fail.

What the shell?! Leo was kissing her! Leo kissed a girl in an alley! What the shell was he thinking? Leonardo was kissing a girl! A girl in the Foot that he's not even allowed to be friends with. Aw, man.

Okay. Mental freakout over. I need to focus. It's Q and A time with Master Splinter.

* * *

"How was your mission, my sons?" Master Splinter asks as we file in to the dojo.

"Well, the Kraang ship showed up, and it's definitely a problem. It's fast, has a laser, and some kind of cloaking technology." Raph reports. Leo hasn't done it in awwhile, only speaking to add any details he thinks may be important.

"Anything else?" Master Splinter prompts.

"We saw that girl Karai tonight." Mikey says.

Sensei's head swivels to Leo. "Is this true Leonardo?"

Leo lowers his gaze and nods.

"What happened?"

"I told her about - about - you know, that." Leo speaks softly, his voice cracking a little.

"Grabbed her hand." Raph adds. I sneak a glare at him. Why is he being so hard on Leo? Is he trying to make him upset?

"To keep her from drawing her sword on you guys. I probably would've done the same thing, in her place. She was mad about the ban, that's all." Leo looks up at Master Splinter, trying to convey he's telling the truth.

"Maybe . . ." Master Splinter muses.

"She was!" Leo exclaims. "I'm her first and only friend! Of course she'd be mad when I tell her I can't see her again." I flinch. Before now, Leo would never backtalk Sensei.

"Leonardo . . ."

"It's true! She needs a friend and I'm the only one she's got and you've hurt both of us!" Leo grits his teeth and stands up, half-running to the door. The sound of splashing water a few seconds later indicates he's broken into a run and gone to the sewers, not his room.

Master Splinter sighs and shake his head. Raph starts to stand up to follow him, but I grab him and pull him down. "Think, shellbrain. You're one of the last people he'd want to see right now. Give him a couple of minutes to cool down, then I'll go after him. He has his T-phone on him, I can track him."

"Fine." Raph grumbles. Master Splinter dismisses us, but I stay behind.

"What is it, Donatello?" He sighs.

"Sensei, are you sure that banning Leo from Karai is the best thing to do? This girl may be Foot, but she makes Leo happy. That week he knew her, he was cheery, all smiles. A bit distant, but upbeat and not stressed for once."

"Donatello, a kunoichi has been trained to use deception against her enemies. Karai may be true friends with Leonardo, but if battle comes between the Shredder and our family, Leonardo must be prepared to fight her. If she is using him, Leonardo's heart and ability to trust will be shattered. I wish to spare him the pain." At that moment, Master Splinter seemed older and more wise than before.

"But Leo's in pain now. When he's not training, he's hold up in his room reading or in the main room listening to music. He barely talks anymore when we aren't on a mission. It's not right."

Sensei shook his head. "Leonardo is letting his feelings for this girl get in the way of logical thinking. If he cannot put her behind him, he will suffer."

I think about the kiss I witnessed. He sure didn't look like he was suffering then. "It's been a few minutes. I'll go look for him, Sensei."

"Go Donatello. Bring Leonardo home."

* * *

I connet my phone to my laptop and transfer the tracking program. This way, if Leo moves from his current position in the sewers below 7th and Walnut, I'll know it. On my way out of my lab, I pass one of my old projects and get an idea. When I find Leo I'll have to run it pass him.

I keep one eye on my phone the entire trip, but Leo doesn't move. When I reach the spot, Leo's just sitting there, staring at the ceiling of the tunnel.

"What do you want, Donnie?" He doesn't look at me. I sit down next to him.

"Answers, Leo. Questions have been running around my head and I want to get rid of them."

"You're the genuis." He sighs. "Figure it out."

I stop beating around the bush and lay my cards on the table. "I saw you in the alley with Karai." His eyes go wide and his breath hitches in his throat. He turns to face me.

"What did you see?"

"I heard muffled talking, and then I saw you and her kiss." His shoulders slumps. "Leo, you lied, or at least didn't tell the whole truth, and I want the whole story now."

"Donnie, you - you're right." He looks down, unable to look me in the eye. "We were closer than I let on. It just - it all happened so fast. One minute we were just friends and then we were best friends and then, well - "

"What exactly happened?" I coax.

"The night I ran out of the Lair, mad at Raph, I didn't just cool off. Karai found me, looking for information on the Kraang. I told her that they were aliens who were snatching scientists and mutating things. Then, the conversation took a turn and I found out about her parents. Her father basically abandoned her and her mother died when she was a baby, Donnie. She has no parents, no friends, no real life. She got upset, talking about her mother. She started to cry and I comforted her. That's how I knew I could trust her. Donnie, you can't fake sadness like that."

I feel a twinge of sympathy for Karai. No mother, no father. Must have been tough. Must still be tough. "Go on."

"When I went to see her after the World Wide Genome Project lab, she did explain to me. She was sincere, I swear. We drifted to each other through the conversation and she leaned in just a little and kissed me." He pauses and looks wistful and astounded. "She kissed me and I kissed her back and we kissed and Donnie it was the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me."

I feel a ripple of jealousy. He only knows his crush for a week and they kiss. Not fair. I've known April for months. But I still ask him to go on.

"We weren't just hanging out the rest of the night. It was a date. We snuck into a movie theater - " he ignores my shocked gasps - " and saw The Avengers and How To Train Your Dragon. Really good movies. Then I came home and got the news I could never see her again, and I kinda lost it. My heart was broken."

"Leo, I - I don't know what to say."

"Donnie, Karai's a good person. She's had bad luck, and has some kind of debt to Shredder. She can't leave the Foot because of it ; I've asked. Just my luck that the only girl who accepts me is the only girl I'm forbbiden to see." He looks up hopefully at me. "Donnie, is there any way you could try to change Splinter's mind?"

I hate to break it to him, but I must, and I feel my heart crack as I watch his face fall. "Leo, I tried right after you left. Splinter thinks that having a friend in the Foot will only get your heart broken."

"But not seeing her is breaking my heart!"

"I know that, you know that, but he doesn't know that."

"You think I should tell him?" He says disbelievingly. "Yeah that would go over well." He snorts. "Hey Sensei, you know the girl you've forbidden me to see? Well, we weren't just friends, she had kissed me the same night Raph told you about her and we had been on a date through the morning and just today I saw her again and we kissed again, despite your specific instructions not to even talk to her, because I have feelings the size of Manhatten for her." He says sarcasticly.

"Well, then what are you going to do?" I throw my hands up in exasperation.

"I don't know. I guess I'll just have to wing it."

"You? Winging it?" My eyes bulge. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother Leo?"

"Not funny, Donnie." But he smiles a little anyway.

"Come on, let's get back to the Lair before the others start looking for you." He truges to his feet and starts walking alongside of me.

I remember my idea just then. "Oh, Leo, I had an idea on how to find the Kraang ship!"

"Really? What?"

"Well, in wartime and even now, ships and airplanes use something called radar to keep track of the posistions of their other planes and enemy forces. Radar is basically waves being broadcasted over a long distance. When it hits something, it comes bouncing back and alearts the computer of the presence. I've made some satalite dishes we can set up around town. If the ship gets near us, I'll get an alarm on my T-phone." I explain, happy to go on about science.

"Good work, Donnie. We can set them up tonight; we still have a few hours until daylight."

* * *

KARAI'S POV

I replace my mask and let the scowl I've been holding back fill my face. "Yes Father." I dutifully reply, then turn and gracefully strut out of the "throne room" as I've taken to calling it in my head. When I hear the doors behind me slam shut, my walk turns into an angry stomp and I remove my hated faceplate, revealing my angry scowl for the world to see. I stalk into my room and slam the door, flopping onto my bed and fixating my angry stare onto the ceiling.

How dare he not do anything! The Kraang are invading! They'll kill us all! And all he can think about is his vendetta against Hamato Yoshi and the turtles and Leo! If they win, there'll be no enemies and no US! He's so short-sided! Urgh! I can't believe he's my father!

And I can't believe what happened between me and Leo. How dare Hamato Yoshi interfere in Leo's life like that! I don't care if he is his master, he can't keep Leo away from me! I genuinly care about him, a lot. I even took the time to nickname him. Captain, as in Captain America. He's such a goody-goody like C. A. and also an incredible fighter.

And he appearantly cares about me too, and Hamato Yoshi has the nerve to try to keep us apart! How dare he try to ruin my life once again. He has already taken away my mother! I won't let him take Leo too!

I growl at my empty room. I need to punch something.

I hit the rooftops with a furious energy. I pay no attention to my destination, looking for anything or anyone I can take my fury out on. Fortune then smiles on me as I stumble across the turtle I've been dying to see. Leonardo. Unfortunately, Tag-Along Tommy is with him. They're installing some kind of dish. I wait until Purple is busy with the machine, then make the smallest of noises. Leo's eyes immediatly dart to my hiding place. I wave and he smiles.

"Come on out, Karai." I stiffen. What is he doing?!

"He knows." He gestures to his brother, who is standing up, squinting at me. "The little sneak." I hear him mutter under his breath, and I nearly laugh.

I step out of the shadpws and quickly close the distance between us. "You told him? What part about forbidden did you not comprehend, Leo?"

"I saw you." Purple butts in. "I saw you and Leo in the alley."

"And I didn't hear you?" I ask skeptically.

"You were busy." He smirks. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Donatello. My brothers call me Donnie." He holds out his hand.

"Karai." I quickly shake it. "You're the techno-geek of the team, right?"

"I prefer scientist." Donnie protests half-heartedly.

"Whatever. So did you talk to Hamato Yoshi?" I ask Leo.

"Well, not really. I more or less got mad at him and raced out of there. Donnie asked for me. No go."

I grit my teeth. "That - ugh! Leo, what are we going to do?"

"Karai, I -" He stops, looking at his brother and blushing. "Um, Donnie, could you give us a few minutes?"

Donnie looks conflicted. "I don't know . . ."

"What if this was you and you-know-who? Please Donnie?" His brother blushes and mumbles something indistinct, walking away awkwardly.

Leo turns back to me. "Karai, I honestly don't know. I don't want to disobey my Sensei, but I can't give you up."

A warm glow fills me, like I've just drunken a large bowl of warm soup. "Really?"

His face gets even redder, but he keeps speaking. "Yeah. Karai, I care about you a lot. I've only known you for a few weeks, but you already mean so much to me. I think- I think I love you."

Now it's my turn to blush. Love? He loves me? That warm feeling grows stronger and I feel dizzy and lightheaded, but in a good way. _Is this what it feels like to be_ loved? I think.

"Oh, Leo . . ." I whisper. Suddenly I think of my father. When was the last time he told me he loves me? I can't remember. Has he ever told me he loves me? Surely he has, but for the life of me I can't remember when.

"I shouldn't have said that." Leo rushes to say when I don't say anything. "I'm sorry, it just kind of slipped out, I'm sorry."

"Leo, that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thank you." I give him a hug, and he wraps me in his warm arms. After a few seconds I pull away and add, "If you tell anyone about the past minute, I will kick you out of your shell."

He laughs, snaps to attention, and salutes me. "Yes sir!"

I smirk at him. "That's ma'am to you, Captain."

"Yes ma'am sir!"

This time I'm the one to laugh, half at him and half at how we went from super serious to joking around like 10 year olds.

"Why do you keep calling me Captain?"

"Captain as in Captain America."

"So I'm a superhero now?" He grins in his goofy way. "Cool!" I chuckle again.

"Karai . . ." Leo starts, back to his serious voice. Oh . . .

"Yeah?"

He looks me dead in the eyes. "Who did Hamato Yoshi steal from you?"

My heart pangs with misery. "Leo . . ."

"Karai, I need to know. Hamato Yoshu adopted me and my brothers; he's like a father to me. If he did something to hurt you, I need to know. I can't live my life wondering if he actually believed in everything he's taught me about honor and right and wrong. I can't live without knowing." He has a point. I need to tell him; it may as well be now. I gather as much courage as I can.

"Leo, you know how my mother is dead?" I begin, trying to hold back tears.

"Yeah."

"She - she was murdered. By Yoshi." I whisper. Memories are stirring in the back of my head; horrible ones. I try to squash them, but they are too strong,

Leo looks shellshocked. "What?"

"Hamato Yoshi killed my mother!" I scream, tears now streaming down my face. I collaspe onto the ground, now overwhelmed by nightmares I've had for years and memories of my father telling the stories and all the feelings I crammed into a small bottle all this time. The bottle has now exploded and I freely sob. I feel strong but gentle arms wrap around me once more, and drag me into a lap, and I am rocked back and forth like a child. For once in my life, I don't care. I let Leo comfort me and let myself let all the emotions I've tried to deny over the years spill out on him. I don't care about appearing strong anymore. I finally let go of being strong all the time and lean on someone for a change. I'm glad that person is Leo.

**Okay, I really, really, REALLY want feedback on this. Do you think I rushed it, was Karai too OOC, bad ending, etc? Review people! I need it to live! My mise demands reviews so it can fester and exist in my brain. Review!**

**Bye!**


	8. Troubled

**I'm back! And guess what?! I got a KindleFireHD! And it lets me type up stories, so I no longer have to borrow my sister's, so hopefully my updates will be faster! Hope you enjoy!**

LEO'S POV

"Hamato Yoshi killed my mother!" Karai screams in agony, tears glistening in her eyes. No . . .No. . . I can't believe it. No, it can't be true. To my shock, Karai let's out a strangled moan, collaspses in on herself, and starts to sob. Instinctively, hating to see her so upset and miserable, I sit down beside her and lift her slim frame into my lap. She makes no sign she notices besides leaning in, and continues to cry. My heart breaks at the sight of my strong Karai broken in my arms, reduced to a sobbing mess at the thought of my father and her mother.

_My father caused this . . ._the thought stabs into my brain. I shake it out, unable to think about it. I focus only on comforting Karai. I gently rock her back and forth in my arms and whisper softly to like "It'll be okay." and "It's all right. Let it out.". Okay, not very original, but they seem to work. My belt is soon soaked in tears, but I continue to gently hold onto her.

Donnie comes back to check on us after a few minutes, but stops short in his tracks as he realizes what he's seeing. He starts to approach again, his mouth opening to ask a question, but I shoot him down with a death glare. He holds up his hands in surrender and awkwardly backs away to another rooftop.

Karai shifts in my lap, her crying slower but still strong. She burys her head against my plastron, right above my heart, and one hand clutches the rim of my plastron, where the shell meets flesh, while the other snags on a groove in my plastron.

I cup the back of her head with one hand, the other still pulling her into a hug, and lightly set my chin on top of her head. It's a trick I use with Mikey when he has nightmares. It seems to be working now too. Karai's sobs get slower and slower, until her breathing calms and she's simply sniffling. I slowly pull back and tenderly lift up her chin to face her. Her make-up has run all over her face and tracks of tears stain her cheeks, teardrops still streaking down her nose and off her chin. I gently rub my thumb over her face, wiping away her tears and the smeared make-up.

"I'm sorry." I whisper. I can't think of anything else to say. My brain has stopped working. She stares at me, then flings her arms around my neck, her head resting in the crook between my neck and shoulder. I feel more tears slide onto my skin, but they are slow and few. I hold her close, shielding her as best I can.

An eternity passes on that rooftop before Donnie nervously steps back to us. He's scared of how I'll react, but whispers, "Leo, we have to go, or the others will come looking for us."

I am hesitant to leave Karai, but before I can say anything, she crawls out of my lap and stands up. She wipes away the last of her tears with her sleeve. "I'll -I'll see you later Leo." She doesn't meet my eyes and walks away slowly before jumping off the building. I stare, wanting with all my heart to follow her, but instead listen to my head and walk back home with Donnie.

Donnie stares at me the entire time. It isn't until we are below ground that he dares to say anything.

"Um, Leo, what was that?" He nervously asks

I sigh and allow my gaze to harden. "I- I'm not sure. I- I need to think. But Donnie -" I whirl around to face him, "tell absolutely no one about me and Karai. I'm dead serious. Not even a syllable of what you've seen tonight." I threaten.

Donnie nodded. "I get it Leo. I won't tell." I glare at him and he holds up his right hand. "I promise."

I sigh again and nod. "Thanks Donnie."

"What are little brothers for?"

I look at him and give a bittersweet smile. We arrive back at the Lair and, after mumbling some pleasantries, I stumble to the bathroom. I lock the door behind me and start a shower. I allow the water to heat and steam to fill the room, then strip off my mask, gear and pads. I step onto the lament floor and under the jet stream, the curtain swishing shut behind me. The water pounds against me with gentle pressure and slips down my face, limbs and shell. I savor the warmth and slowly turn around to get the back of my shell. I let my mind blank to unaware bliss, the comfort of the hot water and the sound of the pitter-patter of the water droplets against the floor. My lips crack open and water slips in, getting rid of the bad taste in my mouth I've had for the past hour.

The peace cannot last. Soon, inevitably, no matter how much I fight it, my mind turns to Karai's shout of grief. Hamato Yoshi, my Sensei, my adoptive father killed her mother.

I sigh heavily and press my forehead against the wall of the shower, shutting my eyes. What if it's true? Before this incident, I would have defended my Sensei to my last breath, but now . . . I don't know what to think anymore. I don't believe Karai is lying. I trust her, and she would never lie about something as serious as this. But, would my Sensei actually kill someone? Kill a woman?

No matter how mad at him I am, I can't see it. My stomach twists in a horrible way, like I'm about to lose my lunch. I don't know, and that's the crux of everything. I know absolutely nothing about Karai's mother or her death. I don't even know how Karai came to believe it was my Sensei who killed her. She was just a baby; she couldn't have known herself. I don't even feel like I know my own Sensei anymore. He talks about trusting your instincts, second chances, benifit of the doubt, seeing the good in people. But when I put it to practice . . . Well, he was supportive of my compassion to that Purple Dragon. But why not Karai? Why doesn't he trust my judgement, or let me use his lesson with her? Is he prejudice? It wouldn't be out of the question. But he's always told us to not judge people on their looks. We can't really, considering our own. So, why is he not following his own lessons? Or, does he not live what he preaches. I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.

No, wait. That's not true. I do know one thing. I know that I love Karai. It's the truth. I'm in love with Karai, and I will do all I can to support her and make her happy and come to terms with her mother's death. I don't care what my family says. I love her. I'm reminded of a song, and I sing it softly for the rest of my shower.

* * *

But I don't care what they say,

I'm in love with you

They try to pull me away, but they don't know the truth

My heart's crippled by the vein that I keep on closin'

Oooooh, you cut me open and I

Keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding love

I keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding love

I keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding love

Oh, you cut me open . . .

* * *

The next night, my brothers and I are on patrol in the Shellraiser. It's quiet out, and we aren't really doing anything. As always, I'm driving, and it gives me an excuse to be quiet. Not that I need one these days.

Suddenly, there's a beeping from the back of the van. Through one of my monitors, I see Donnie pull out his T-phone and check the readout. "I've got a signal!" He says. "Doesn't match any authorized flight patterns . . . " I briefly wonder how he knows that. "It's got to be the Kraang ship!"

"Or Santa!" Mikey suggests. We turn a corner and hovering over the streets is the Kraang ship, much to Mikey's disappointment. "Nope, it's the Kraang ship. Aw, that's a bummer." He pouts. I kick the Shellraiser into high gear and began evasive manuveurs, but no matter how fast I go, the Kraang ship is always right behind me. In fact, I think it's gaining.

"Mikey, escape route, now!" I bark.

He checks his giant map. "Tale the alley on the right!" He shouts.

With a twist of my steering wheel, I turn into the directed alley, only to slam on the brakes. "It's a dead end!" I snarl.

Mikey looks back at his giant map, dooms in with his magnifine glass, then corrects himself, too late. "Don't take the alley on the right."

The Kraang ship powers up its beam, then shoots it out. It hits its target dead on, which is unfortunately us. The Shellraiser is pitched forward into the wall. We are tossed forward like rag dolls, and I hold onto the wheel in an attempt to stay in my seat as the temputure rises while the laser curs through the vans armor.

"Any ideas, guys?" I ask desperately.

"Just one." Raph growls, and proceeds to the back of the van and starts beating Mikey's shell. I turn my head forward, searching for an idea, someway out of here without abandoning ship and making ourselves easy targets for the Kraang. I can't think of anything. This looks like the end. Then an answer from above; the answer to our prayers. On one of the monitors, I watch my personal angel Karai appear. She leaps onto the ship and starts slamming her tanto into the top. I can't see any real damage being done, but it's enough to get the ship to turn off its laser aand concentrate all power on shaking her off. The ship backs up and leaves, with Karai still on it.

"That was Karai!" I offer as an explaination, throwing the van into reverse and tearing off after the ship. "We have to help her."

"No way, Leo. You aren't supposed to be near her, and we need to put some distance between that thing and us." Raph protests.

Anger surges through me. He would really leave the person who just saved our lives in the hands of the Kraang? The person he (at the very least) knows is my friend? "No."

"But the Shellraiser can't take another onslaught!" Donnie pips up from his station. I thought he was on my side! A piece of my temper goes to him.

"Then I'll do it myself!" I reach a quick desicion and unbuckle my seat belt, leaving the controls unattended. "Drive." I command. Raph jumps into my seat and after a few swerves takes control of the vechicle. I cross to the cover for the bike and jump inside.

"Hey, the Stealth Bike's my thing." Raph protests.

I look over my shoulder and fix him with a stare. "Well now your thing is sucking it up."

As I close the hatch behind me, I hear Donnie cry, "Hey! That's my thing!" I ignore him and grasp the controls for the bike. A few seconds later, I speed out from underneath the van. I swirl around and face the direction of the street. Where's the ship?! As if to answer my question, the ship passes a few feet above me, kicking up gravel. I close my eyes to avoid any rocks getting into them, then focus solely on the ship and its unwitting passenger.

I follow the Kraang ship for blocks, Karai holding on for dear life while still trying to do any damage she can. Ordianarily, I would admire how tough and focused she is, but right now I'm filled with worry.

Finally, the Kraang ship makes a sharp flip and Karai is flung off, 50 ft above the ground. Quickly, I twist the throttle and aim the bike at a car. I flick the fornt wheel up and use the car as a ramp. I go flying into the air as Karai falls down, and for a moment everything is frozen in time. Then time unfreezes. Karai lands neatly in my lap and we touchdown onto the street.

"Are you okay?" I ask her, concerned.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Fine." As I speed away from the ship there's a silence, and the Kraang take a potshot at us.

"I'm not really good about saying thank you . . ." I hide a smile. Oh, this should be good.

"And?"

"That was it." She shrugs, and I chuckle. The Kraang fire again, just narrowly missing us. Okay, time to get off the streets. I press a button on the side of the handlebars and the top raises up over us, a dim light illuminating the carrige so I can see. The monitor in between the handle bars flickers to life and I can see where I'm going. I pull into an alley and park in the shadows. The Kraang ship passes, and stops right in front of our alley. It hovers and rotates, scanning for any trace of us, and I hold my breath. Finally, it turns and speds away. I let my breath go and take time to look at Karai.

"They're gone."

"Obviously. Now Leo, there's something - " Karai is cut off. Not by an alien warship or a mutant this time, but by my lips against hers. I finally have worked up the coutage to kiss her for once, instead of the other way around. For a moment, I panic as Karai does nothing. What if she now longer feels that way? What if she pulls away? But my worries are unfound as she grabs my shell and pulls herself closer to me. One of my hands cups her cheek and the back of her neck, while the other slides down and finds her waist. In turn, one hand tangles itself in my mask tassles, while the other wraps around me and pins me into place. Our lips clash like our swords have done so many times, but I can honestly say I love this so much more than sparring. It feels like years pass before we break apart for Karai to get some air, but as soon as she catches her breath, she dives right back into me and kisses me with fierocity and passion, and I return it with every fiber of my being. I forget about my brothers, my sensei, the Foot, Karai's mother, I forget about everyting except Karai. Her body pressed against mine, her lips dancing with mine, her smell, her touch, her taste. Karai is my whole world for those glorious stolen minutes hidden in the Stealth Bike in an alley.

All too soon, we end the kiss, pulling our mouths apart but still keeping close together.

"Now we're even." I joke, smiling at her.

"And here I thought you liked me for my ninjitsu." She teases. My heart starts beating double time at her smile, blood pounding in my ears like the surf at her flirting tone.

"Come on, I want to show you something." I reeve up the bike and pull out of the alley.

"I'm pretty sure that's my line, and shouldn't you be getting back to your brothers?"

I shake my head. "I need a break from them, and I want to have just one night with you. And since I conveniently forgot my phone in the van, they have no way of tracking me."

She smirks at me. "You're learning, Captain. Looks like I'm rubbing off on you."

"That's not a good thing." I mockingly shake my head in shame and laugh along with her. She has a pretty laugh, when she's not pretending to be the Foot soldier she portrays.

Five minutes later, I pull over and drive under an old bridge that leads to nowhere. I did some research and found that this was one of the first bridges in New York. Now considered structurally unsound, it's been abandoned and left in a horrible state of disrepair. Perfect for a teenage mutant ninja turtle when they want to be alone. I park ad roll down the top. Karai hops out first and stretches her legs. I follow suit.

"Where are we?" She asks.

"Old bridge on the coast. No one comes here anymore, except me." I walk to the edge of the water and squat doen, pretending to be intensely examining something. Karai joins me and looks over me shoulder to see what's so interesting. Lightning fast, I scoop some water and splash it in her face.

"Ugh! Ew!" She sputters. "Leo!" I laugh at the look of utter surprise on her face.

She glares at me, then grins evilly. "Oh, it is so on." She cups water in her hands and pushes it up towards me. I shield my face with my arm and push a wave back at her in retaliation. She splashes me, and I splash back, and it turns into a full out water war.

We splash each other like little kids on the bank, until I get an idea. I grin evilly at her.

She understands immediatly what I'm thinking, and waves her hands in front of her. "Uh-uh. No way, Leo." I ignore her and get closer. "No, no, Leo n- ah!" I scoop her up in my arms and carry her bridal style. "Leo, put me down!" She squeals, punching my arms. Not hard enough to make me let go though. I carry her out into the water, and when I'm a little more than waist deep I twirl her around and let her go. She drops with a shriek and splashes into the water. She goes under for a moment, then pops back up, spitting water from her mouth.

"Leo!" She yells over my laughter. She tries to seem angry with me, but I can tell she's not, not really. She makes a huge wave and splashes me full on in the face. I cough out the water, then send a wave back at her. We've taken our war to the river! It feels so good to let go, to just splash and play around like a couple of little kids.

We battle it out until we are exhausted. At that point, we crawl out of the water and flop down onto the beach.

"So you took me here to show me a river and to splash me?" Karai pants, slighty put of breath.

I take a few more breaths, then shake my head. "Nope, this was just a bonus. I came to show you something else." I stand up and help Karai up. I hold her hand and lead her to a matinence ladder on the side of the bridge.

"C'mon." I gesture at the ladder and start climbing up, Karai close at my heels. It takes some time, but we eventually make it to the top. We are on one of the towers that holds the suspension cables. It's one of the tallest structures around; and therefore has one of the best views. It's also far enough from the city that the smog and light pollution aren't as bad, and you can see more of the stars. I sit down in the dead center of the tower and gesture for Karai to join me. She does, practically sitting in my lap. She rests her head on my shoulder and gazes out at the world around us.

It's a warm night with only the slightest of wind, the perfect weather. The moon is full and shines down on the city, its twin looking back up from the watery depths of the river. The starlight dances across the Hudson, and seems almost magical tonight. The city is lit up like a Christmas display, red, green, gold, and white speckled all over the landscape, outlining skyscrapers daring to try and push the boundries. It is the perfect night. And I get to share it with my perfect girl.

"Wow. It's so peaceful up here. It's - it's beautiful." Karai says.

"Well, it may not be Tokyo, but it's the best I can do here."

We stay frozen like that for an endless time, completely silent, drinking in the view of the city that is my home. I would give anything to be able to capture that moment and live in it forever. Just me and Karai, far away from our troubles of the Kraang and my Sensei and my brothers and everything else. Nothing in the world mattering except just the two of us, alone in beautiful silence, enjoying each other company.

But it can't last.

"Leo. I don't want to ruin this, but there's something you really need to know." Karai says softly.

I bite my cheek and look at her. "What?"

She looks down. "Shredder has ordered a large delivery of weapons. He plans to use them to hunt down Hamato Yoshi, and you and your brothers. He has also sent for more Foot ninja from Japan. He plans to flush your family out of hiding, starting in a ring around the city and coming in until they find you. He won't stop until he does. Leo, I - I'm sorry. I don't know what to do to stop him. He wouldn't listen to me if I asked him to stop. He never listens to me. He drives me crazy!" She tacks on, fuming.

I myself have frozen stiffly in shock. The Shredder plans to hunt down my family with weapons? More than usual? Oh no. This is bad. This is really, really, REALLY bad. But shocked as I am, I still catch that last part.

"Karai, if he drives you crazy, why don't you leave? When will you have repaid your debt to him?"

She doesn't meet my eyes, instead staring straight ahead. "Never." She whispers.

"What? What can you possible owe him that's worth wasting your life on someone you hate?"

She whips her head around to glare at me. "I don't hate him!"

"But you just said -"

"I said he drives me crazy! There's a difference!"

I'm completely puzzled, but I back down. I don't want to lose Karai over a stupid thing like Shredder. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But seriously, what do you owe him? Maybe I can help."

She looks away again. "If I told you, you would hate me."

I can't even fathom the notation. "Karai, I could never hate you! I - I love you Karai! And no matter what you owe him, I always will!"

She looks at me in surprise, like she's never heard anyone say that to her. She probably hasn't, I realize, and that breaks my heart. My Sensei has told me several times that he would always love me, and my brothers have a couple of times too, when we're really emotional. Karai deserves to hear it too.

"Really? You promise?" She asks, looking for all the world like a child.

I smile fondly. Even when she's angry, even when she's sad, even when she's scared but would die before admitting it, she is beautiful. "I promise."

She takes a deep breath and sighs. "The Shredder . . . isn't just my boss. He's also . . . my - my father."

* * *

KARAI'S POV

I watch the news hit him. First, confusion as he tries to process what I've just said. Then slow surprise as it starts to dawn on him. Then outright shock.

"Your father?! The Shredder is your father?!"

"Yep. Makes Father's Day a hassle." I try to joke and act nonchalant, trying to act like it isn't a big deal. But it is.

"Your father?! You're Shredder's daughter?!" He repeats dumbly.

"We've established this. Yes, he's my father. That's why I can't leave the Foot. If I did, well, I don't want to think about it. Besides, he's my father." I feel like a broken record, repeating the same thing over and over.

Leo shakes his head slowly, like he's trying to shake something into place. "Oh boy. My family is going to _kill_ me." Something else dawns on him. "Wait, so your mother was married to Shredder?" He sounds confused, and I guess he has the right to be.

"Yeah. Is that so hard to believe?" He starts to open his mouth and I glare at him. "Don't answer that."

He shuts his mouth and smiles instead. It quickly turns into a bewildered frown. "I don't get it."

I take a deep breath. "My father always told me that Hamato Yoshi had come to our home to fight and kill him. In the process, he killed my mother instead. That's why he is still hunting Hamato Yoshi, even after all these years. To avenge my mother's death."

Leo stared, then shook his head. "I - I don't understand. My Sensei has told us to never kill unless there is no other option. Why would he killed your mother?"

"He was trying to kill my father, weren't you listening?" I snap at him.

"Yes, I was." He says calmly. "I was simply wondering aloud. How could he kill your mother instead of Shredder?"

"I don't know." I admit. "My father has never given me the details of her death."

Leo lets out a puff of air and turns his focus to the ground. "I can deal with this later." I hear him mumble. Before I can inquire what he means, he asks me, "Isn't there any way you can prevent Shredder from hunting down my family?"

I shake my head. "I told you. When it comes to his vendetta, he won't let his mind be changed. Not even by his own daughter." Leo looks at me, concerned by that last bit. I turn away. I've been weak around him far too much already. What is it about that turtle that can make me bawl my eyes out?!

"Isn't there anything else he wants? Something he couldn't refuse?" Leo pleads, begging for an answer.

I shake my head again, softly laughing bitterly. "Power? Money? Something that would make him even more feared or get him what he wants?"

"All things I don't have." Leo growls. "My family is going to be killed and I can't do anything to stop it!" He rockets to his feet and starts to pace. I rise as well, and watch him.

"What can I offer him? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Dirt is richer than my family! I can't invent things like Donnie that he could use! I can't make anything useful! All I'm good at is - " He stops pacing and speaking at the same time, an utterly thunderstruck look on his face. He looks like he was just smacked across the face, surprised and slightly hurt.

"Leo?" I ask him. What's going on in that mind of his? "Leo?"

"I - I have an idea. But I - I need to think about it. When is the shipment of weapons coming?"

"Tomorrow at dawn." I inform him.

The tension drains from his shoulders slightly. "Good. Then I have a little time."

"Leo, what are you thinking?"

He smiles thinly at me. "Something crazy."

"Like?" I prompt.

He smiles more sincerely. "I tell you later. For now, can we pretend that - that we have all the time in the world to just relax and goof off?"

I sigh and smile in spite of myself. "All right. Want to do something crazy?"

He smirks. "Like?" He echoes me. I punch his shoulder, hiding a grin. He's such a dork.

"Sparring. We haven't in a while."

One side of his mask rises, like he's raising an eyebrow. "On the top of an unstable bridge in the middle of the night? You can't do anything halfway, can you?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

He rolls his eyes. "Okay." He retreats a few places, then draws a katana. I do the same and mirror him. We circle for a few seconds, before he smirks. "Ladies first."

"What a gentleman." I taunt sarcastically, then leap forward, sword at the ready.

* * *

We spar for a long while, for what feels like hours, but what is probably only a couple. But before the sun has even begun to rise, Leo sheaths his swords.

"I have to go, Karai. I need to think about what I'm going to do. If I go through with it . . ." He trails off.

"Go through with what?" I ask, annoyed he won't tell me. Very annoyed.

He just smiles. "I'll tell you soon. Here." He pulls a pen out of a belt pocket and tears off a piece of his mask. He jots something down and hands the scrap of blue fabric to me. It's a seven digit number. A phone number.

"Text me when you get home. I want to be able to contact you."

"Leo, what are you doing?" I demand to know, tucking his number into a pocket of my own.

"Karai, I promise you will be the first to know. But I have to decide. Hopefully, though, something to save my family." He smiles one more time at me, then kisses my cheek. "Want a ride?"

"Well as I have no clue where I am . . . " I say sarcastically. He rolls his eyes and takes it as a yes.

* * *

**So, what did you think? I thoight that Leo would do something corny like this, taking Karai stargazing and water-splashing. I was going to make it longer, but I figured that this was a good stopping point. The next few events would be better as one chapter, so, yeah. **

**Turtleneck, I hope this fulfilled your wish for a make out scene.**

**Bonus points for anyone who can guess what Leo's planning do.**

**Review please! My muse feeds off of your comments and uses it to draw these ideas out of he abyss and into my mind (if you couldn't tell I've been on a horror story kick lately). So anyway, please review and have a good day/night!**

**-Katana **


	9. Defying

**Ninth Chapter! And I'm pleased to say that a couple of you guessed right. I won't say who, because that would give it away, but that question will be answered in this chapter.**

**I have 66 reviews! I'm so happy!**

**I hope you enjoy this installment! Happy reading!**

DONNIE'S POV

The night we spent waiting up for Leo to return on the Shell Cycle was tense, to say the least. We had waited for about 45 minutes in our usual abandoned track of subway before admitting Leo probably wouldn't be coming anytime soon and heading back to the Lair. When we got back, we were forced to explain to Master Splinter why Leo wasn't with us. Reluctantly, I did so, explaining Leo had gone to help Karai after she had saved our lives. Raph added that it had been almost an hour ago.

"Can you track him, Donatello?" Master Splinter had asked.

I had shook my head, and held up Leo's phone. "He left his phone in the van."

Master Splinter had frowned, and ordered us to wait up for Leo. So we got some stuff to keep us busy, and camped out in the living room. One hour turned to two, and two hours turned to three. No sign of Leo. When it hit the three-and-a-half hour mark, we were sitting in front of the TV, not really paying attention to the show.

"Ugh, don't tell me it's going to be another all-nighter." Raph groans.

"Seriously. How long could he possibly spend with that girl?" Mikey rolls his eyes, bored beyond belief.

As the only one there that even knew a smidge of the truth, I feel I had to say something. "Cut him some slack, guys."

"Why should we?" Raph argues.

"Because -" I cut myself off, fast. I almost let it slip! Crap. What kind of secret keeper am I?

Raph narrows his eyes at me. "Because _what, _Donnie?"

"Because, um -" I struggle to think of something, anything. "Because he's her friend, and she's his. He just wants to hang out with her. Is that so wrong?" I defend.

"It is when the friend is in the Foot, Donnie!" Raph says. He sighs. "Look, if she wasn't, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But she is, and worse still, Leo has a crush on her." _Oh, he has more than a crush on her, bro. Heck, she's his girlfriend!_ "Leo's just going to get hurt, or he won't be able to fight her if the time comes. Believe it or not, I don't want to see that happen."

"Then you could act like it." I say.

"Awww, Raphie, you do care!" Mikey teases.

Raph growls. "I told you not to call me that!" He slaps Mikey upside the head.

"Ow!" Mikey rubs his head. "Quit doing that!"

"Stop doing things to deserve it, then."

"Guys, shush. I thought I heard -" I don't finish, but I don't have to. They fall quiet as the sound of a motor echoes through the Lair. A streak of black darts under the Shellraiser, and a minute later the doors ding open to reveal Leo. One look, and I can tell something huge has happened. Leo is frowning, thinking deeply about something, and his arms are hugging himself. His eyes stay glued to the floor, haunted. Yet there is something that says he enjoyed spending time with his girlfriend.

"Where have you been?" Raph demands to know. Leo looks up, and just stares at him, a touch of sadness behind his blue eyes.

"Yeah dude, it's been hours, what have you been up to?" Mikey asks.

"Not your business." Leo says roughly, the sadness turning into annoyance.

"Ah, but it is mine Leonardo." A voice says behind me, and Master Splinter steps forward. "Where have you been?"

"Some place. Somewhere peaceful." Leo says vaguely. Master Splinter doesn't comment, but I can tell he isn't pleased with Leo's answer. Bro, what are you doing?

"Why have you not come back sooner?" Master Splinter tries again.

"I was busy." Leo says simply.

"Busy with what?"

"Talking."

"To who?"

"Someone."

"Why did you leave your brothers?"

"To do an honorable thing."

"What was this honorable thing?"

"Saving someone's life."

"Why were you saving their life?"

"It was honorable. And they - Karai saved ours. It was the right thing to do." Leo admits he was saving Karai. I can tell he realizes Splinter already knows this.

"What did you do after you saved her?"

"I talked to her."

"Why?"

"To make sure she wasn't hurt." Leo's mouth stays flat, but his eyes are twinkling in a way that reminds me of a wolf. He's enjoying this back and forth, like a wolf enjoys toying with their prey. Leo can't lie, I realize, but he can sure be as vague as he wants.

"After that? Why did you not come back immediately?"

"I didn't want to." He says simply.

"Why not?"

"She doesn't make me mad all the time. She cares about me and listens to me. She had something more to tell me. Something important. I listen to her, because she is my friend, and she needs a friend, because she is alone in life." The predatory spark in his eye is gone, replaced with good old-fashioned anger. "She has told me things about her life, and they break my heart. Everything that she should have has been taken from her. Her mother, her home, her chance at a normal childhood. Her father, even. All taken away. Now her only friend has been ordered to stay away from her, leaving her all alone _again. _I will not let that happen." Leo's gaze is fierce, and I am once again reminded of a wolf. Except now, he is angry, plain and simple, protecting the one he loves by clashing with Master Splinter. I have to admire his guts, but another part of me, a huge part is screaming at him, asking him what the shell he's doing, and what Master Splinter has done to deserve this much anger. I know he is mad for banning him from seeing Karai, but this seems to go past that, to something else.

"Leonardo!" Master Splinter snaps at him, reminding him who is the father and who is the son. But Leo ignores the warning.

"Yes, I was with Karai the past three hours. That's what you want me to say, isn't it, even though you already know. She had something of great importance to tell me, and by doing so she has risked the Shredder's wrath if he ever finds out, all to tell me and try to help. And the thanks she gets for this, and for drawing some of Shredder's attention to the Kraang, is to take the only person she has away from her. Yeah. We're totally the good guys. She needs me, and I need her. Why is that so hard to understand?" Leo pauses to catch his breath, eyes still blazing with a roaring fire. Everything he had been holding back all these weeks is spilling out in a great wave of frustration, anger, and grief.

"Her mother is dead! Murdered! Her father treats her like she's dirt and drives her insane, so she ignores him! She's never been allowed to have a friend or any thing _close_ to a normal life! She was pressured to join the Foot from a young age, and if she tried to leave, Shredder would hunt her to the ends of the Earth! She's stuck in a horrible life, and instead of doing the honorable and right thing by helping her, you all just push her down like she's just another Foot soldier. And worst of all, is who she says is behind a huge source of her pain. So go ahead and punish me. I don't care. If helping her is a crime, so be it. But I don't regret anything." His eyes flash, and I can hear the ghost words that he doesn't say. _I love her._ I can see it in his eyes. He loves her. I wonder if anyone else can see it too.

No one speaks, all shocked that the calm, quiet, always respectful Leonardo has dared to speak in such a way to Master Splinter. When our silence stretches from seconds to minutes, Leo closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, grabs his T-Phone from where I left it on the TV, and marches to his room. He glances over his shoulder, and for a moment we lock eyes. The fire I saw before is gone, flickering out. Now he just looks . . . sad. No, like he's going to be sad. Likes he's about to do something. Something . . . bad. He smiles sadly at me, then slips in his room, leaving us all to stare at his wake.

Mikey sums everything up in one word. "Whoa."

I nod. "Whoa."

* * *

LEO'S POV

I close my door behind me, and let out a huge sigh. I can't believe I just said all that. I don't really know where it came from; it certainly wasn't what I had been planning to say. But ever since I met Karai, the lid I have been able to put over my emotions has disappeared. If I'm mad, they'll know it. Same goes with sad, happy, irradiated and rebellious.

I had been planning to just confront Master Splinter with Karai's accusations before putting my master plan into effect. But something, I'm not sure what, triggered my temper, and I exploded, everything I have been feeling and dying to say just pouring out. I feel good in a way, like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest by the act of giving my family (well, mainly Sensei) a piece of my mind. I'm not calm Leonardo who will always do what he's told anymore. I have met someone who has changed that, and now I will openly share my emotions, and I have learned I actually have a temper _worse _then Raph's when push comes to shove. I know now that nothing is what it seems, and from my heist (has it only been less then two months?) I learned that it's not black and white; that the line isn't as clear as it's supposed to be. I stole, which is wrong, but did good. Everything is not what it seems.

I flop down on my bed and bury my head in my pillow. A sharp headache is raging through my mind and I am exhausted. But I can't go to sleep just yet. I need to make a decision. Whether or not I should go through with my plan.

I breath in and out, nothing but darkness around me as I clamp my eyes shut and keep my eyes hidden in my cool pillow. The Shredder plans to hunt my family down. If he is allowed to unopposed, he will most likely succeed, or at least has a pretty good chance to. I can not let that happen. I can not beat him though, or stop him from obtaining the weapons or the Foot soldiers. So I have to stop him from using them. Which means, I have to give him something in exchange for my family's safety. But as I said on the bridge, I can't build anything or give him money or power. I can only give him what I have. And all I have of any worth is my skill in the art of ninjitsu. Which is why I will offer him my service in exchange for my family's safety.

Obviously, there are many things that could go wrong with it, and I may be forced to make horrible decisions if I do this. But my family comes first. I will throw away my life if it means I can protect them. But can I really do this? Can I offer myself to the Shredder, even if it means saving my family? I want to say yes. But I feel . . . scared. Ever since I was small, the Shredder has been the bogeyman. I have met him once face-to-face, and his level of skill was frightening. To voluntarily go before him is not something I can take lightly.

My phone buzzes beside me on my bed. I pray my head from the pillow and look at the display. New text message from an unknown number. I grin and open it.

_U there Captain?_

Yep. Definitely Karai.

_Hey there, Black Widow._

_So original._

_Like Captain is? :p_

_Do u just stick your tongue out at me?_

_Yep, in text. :)_

_What's with the faces?_

_Faces are text symbols used to express emotion._

_Haha. So funny. :|_

_See, like that! :)_

_Ok, now that uve corrupted me, why did u want to text?_

_I wanted a way I could contact u, WITHOUT my entire family knowing._

Well, that was only half true. Yes, I wanted a secret way to contact her, but I only plan to use it this one time. After that, I won't need to.

_ok then. So what's the plan?_

_Still trying to work up the nerve to do it._

_Want to actually tell me what it is? I assume it involves me._

Pretty and smart. I love her.

_lucky guess. *sigh* yes it does. I need to give something to Shredder to get him to stand down on attacking my family. I only have one thing to offer him that won't get myself killed instantly. Want to take a guess?_

_... No, Leo, don't._

_I have to. It's the only way. He can't refuse a highly qualified ninja who can make mincemeat out of his top soldiers._

_Ha, u've never beaten me._

_Okay, all of his top soldiers except u. The fact still remains, if I can make it sound valuable enough, he might back off._

_Or he might kill u where u stand._

_It's a chance I have 2 take, Karai. It's the only way to at least buy my family some time. Will u help me? U by my side vouching for me, or at least telling shredder u've given me ur word of honor may help ensure I can leave alive._

_...huh. u r such a demanding boyfriend._

My cheeks flush red. Boyfriend? I'm her boyfriend? I mean, I kinda think of her as my girlfriend, I mean, what else is she? But this is the first time either of us has said anything like that. The word feels good. It feels good to belong to someone, and to have someone in return. To love and be loved. I know I am loved by my family, but this is different. More . . . personal.

_Hey, ur no walk in the park of a girlfriend either. So that's a yes?_

_Duh. I thought u were smart._

_I humbly apologize for not believing the best of thou. Will thou mercifully accept my humble apology, My Lady?_

_Sure. Whatever u dork. _

I smile fondly at her message. Before I can respond though, another one beeps in.

_So when's zero hour?_

_Um, whenever I can get away. I kind of blew my top on Hamato Yoshi._

_Yes! Ur awesome!_

_Don't thank me yet. I haven't even started on ur mother. It was mainly him separating us and condemning me for spending time with you._

_That dirty little rat! -_-#_

When I read her text, I burst out laughing. Oh, the irony! I muffle the laughter with my pillow, trying not to get a brother or Sensei at my door.

_LOL! Karai, do u know how my brothers and I came to be how we r?_

_No, should I?_

_We were pet store turtles(okay, weird to think about) and were bought by Hamato Yoshi. He passed a strange man on the streets and followed him. One encounter with the Kraang and a broken mutagen canister later, and all 5 of us had mutated. We became us, and Hamato Yoshi became a *drumroll* rat! One had scurried across his foot._

_Fitting. _

_So I'll try to sneak away as soon as I can, okay? If I don't get an opportunity by midnight, I'll just have to leave no matter what. C u soon?_

_K. Bye._

_Love u._

I expect that to be the end of that, but a minute later, I get another message.

_Love u 2._

I nearly faint in happiness. Oh. My. Gosh. Karai loves me too! This is the best day of my life! I LOVE BEING A TURTLE!

* * *

Despite my insanely high spirits, I fall asleep on my bed. Hey, it's been a long night. And I'm going to need the rest. Tonight's looking to be a pretty big night as well.

* * *

I wake up at about 4 in the afternoon. I haven't exactly been sleeping well, so sleeping for so long has me feeling refreshed. Briefly, I wonder why I woke up. Then my question is answered by a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Santa Claus." A voice says sarcastically. Donnie.

I roll my eyes, yet hop off my bed and unlock the door for him. I crack it open. "Come on in Donnie." I let him walk past me and can't help yawning. "Ya woke me up, Don. What's up?"

"What's up? Um, how about you went postal on Master Splinter about 12 hours ago?" He cocks his head at me. "What on earth were you thinking?"

"I wasn't planning on doing it. But I don't regret it. I meant every single word Donnie."

"Oh boy." Donnie shakes his head and sighs. "So what went on between you and Karai tonight? You looked like you had just learned something huge."

"I did." I admit. "But I'm not ready to talk about it yet. I need to process it."

"What have you been doing for the past 12 hours, then?"

"I told you. Sleeping. I'm exhausted Donnie."

"It's your own fault for staying up so late all the time." Donnie scolds me. "It isn't healthy Leo."

"Yes, Doctor Donatello." I sigh.

"Leo, I - oh forget it."

"So what are the others saying?"

"Mainly just freaking out over the fact you flipped out on Master Splinter. Leo, why did you?"

"Pent up frustration, I guess."

Donnie's not letting me get away with that, though. "It was more than that and know it. Come on, Leo. You can trust me. Why are you so furious with Master Splinter?"

"Donnie, I'll tell you, I promise. Just not right now. I'm so confused myself. I need time to think, alright?"

Donnie sighs. "I'm not going to change your mind, am I?"

I smile and shake my head.

"Fine. It's your funeral."

"So, what's the deal on patrol tonight?"

Donnie swallows nervously. "Um, I - I don't think w-we're going on patrol tonight, L-Leo."

I blink. Not what I was expecting. "What? Why not?"

"Well, Leo, you're kinda grounded." That hits home. Me? Grounded? I've never been grounded before! That's Raph's title. Well, I guess I can't expect Master Splinter to let me get away with what I said.

"But Don, we _have _to go out tonight. Shredder's planning something, something big. That's what Karai needed to tell me. She didn't get the specifics, but if we don't do something, there's a good chance he'll find the Lair."

Donnie's eyes open wide. "Find the Lair? How?"

I think fast, trying to make up something that sounds plausible. "He's sending Dogpound and Fishface out to collect weapons from the Purple Dragons. Powerful weapons, and a lot of tech. Tech he can use to locate the Lair. I don't know when or where, but we can't just let Shredder get away with it."

Donnie frowns, looking troubled. "This is bad, Leo. Really bad. You need to tell Master Splinter right away."

I purse my lips and turn my gaze the floor. No way. No way can I do that. One, he would know I'm not being entirely truthful. Two, I'll just get angry with him again, and he'll interrogate me. Not happening.

"Donnie, can you tell him? I - I don't feel up to facing him right now. Please? No matter how mad he is with me, he has to let me out to help."

"All right, I tell him. But he won't like that you're sending me."

My mouth twists into a scowl. "He can deal."

Donnie stares at me, but sighs and leaves. I lock my door back behind me, and jump back into my bed. I set an alarm on my T-phone for 7:30. Patrol is at 8:30, and I want time to write a farewell letter.

I then crawl under the covers for another nap. I drift off with thoughts of Shredder, Karai, her mother, and Splinter chasing each other around in endless loops.

* * *

7:30 rolls around, and I sit and write a letter of farewell to my family, careful not to hint where I'm going. By the time I finish, my wastecan is overflowing with crumpled up drafts. Feeling a pang in my heart at what I am about to do, I fold the letter and address it to _My Family._ I blink back tears, and wait for the dreaded clock to strike the time where I must abandon my room and my family. Try as I might, fond memories flood my brain. Mutation Days, missions, patrols, evenings spent together, laughing and smiling like nothing in the world could possibly bring us down. I'm going to miss my family, even Master Splinter, as mad and confused about him I am. He has treated me like a son, and I see him as a father. It isn't easy to tell a father goodbye.

I'll miss Raph. As much as we fight, I do love him. He's my little brother and my best friend, and when he lets his softer side show, he is absolutely amazing. I'm not mad him for exposing me any more. He had every right. We had a deal. I wish I could talk to him about this all, but I'm afraid we wouldn't understand, and would try to stop me. But this is something I have to do.

I'll miss Donnie. He always understands how I'm feeling, and can get me to laugh. I'll miss all his geekiness, and how he kept my secret. He helped me in the name of love, and I hope to be able to repay him. I told him a lot, but I couldn't tell him everything. The letter will explain, though.

I'll miss my baby brother Mikey. He may get annoying, but he always manages to get me smiling, even on my worst days. He's a walking ball of sunshine, and I wish I could save his light to take with me into the dark abyss I'm about to travel into.

I'll miss my family. I love them with all my being, but that's exactly why I have to leave. To protect them from harm. That's my job as leader and eldest brother, and I plan to fulfill it to the very end. I hope with all soul that I will see them again, as their brother, and that this war with Shredder will not separate and tear us all apart. But some part of me worries I will have to face them in battle, and another worries that I'll never see them again.

8:30. A knock on my door, and the simple sound is so ominous to me. I tuck the letter in my belt behind me so whoever it is can't see it, then get up and answer. It's Donnie, of course.

"It's time, Leo." Could he have picked more appropriate words?

"Okay Donnie, just let me grab my swords. He nods, and I shut the door back. I sheath my swords, and quickly text Karai, telling her to meet me at 9th and Virgina, where we sparred that night weeks ago. I immediately get an affirmative, and tuck the phone in my pocket. I open the door, and Donnie's waiting. We exchange smiles, and he walks in front of me. Quickly, I tape the note to my door. Hopefully, Master Splinter won't look before my brothers come back. I catch up to Donnie, and join up with Raph and Mikey. We don't say much, instead heading straight up to the surface. Master Splinter doesn't see us off.

We head towards Chinatown, as that seems to be the Purple Dragons home base. We stakeout near Dragon's Gate, and I patiently bid my time. After a few minutes, my bros start to relax. Slowly, carefully, I start typing a message on my T-phone to no one. I set the phone down without a sound, and point up into the sky.

"Was that the Kraang ship?" Immediately, all eyes are on the sky, except mine. My brothers can be so gullible some times, and I hate taking advantage of it. But it is necessary. I runas far and as fast as I can while using stealth. Behind me, I can confused brothers talking, their tones getting more and more alarmed, until we are no longer in earshot. I blink heavily, trying not to cry.

It doesn't take me long to reach 9th and Virginia. Karai is already waiting for me.

"You sure you want to do this Leo?" The enormity of what I'm doing hits harder than it ever has before, and this time I can't hold it in. Silent tears streak down my face, and my heart feels like it's being squeezed by a huge fist. I give myself one minute to give in to the urge, then wipe my tears way and stand up straighter. I nod to Karai, who makes no comment on my actions.

"I'm sure. Lead the way, Karai."

_Lead the way to my new life._

**Um, okay, I planned to have more Splinter/ Leo interaction, but my muse Siddhartha was the way to go, and bad things happen when I refuse my muse, so I went with this.**

**Please review! I treasure every single one, and they inspire me to write!**

**Have an awesome weekend! I know I'll try, because I have state testing starting Monday. Whoppee. :(**

**Anyway, review and have a good one. **


	10. Pledged

**C****hapter 10! Yahoo! And in such short notice! This chapter idea just would not let me go. Well, actually it was going to be longer, but I had this idea, and to pull it off need to turn this into 2 chapters and mess around with the plot of Enemy of my Enemy. But I hope you enjoy this!**

**Anything in italics is the letter Leo wrote. **

**Oh, and a reviewer asked me if this was the start of Foot Leo. So that meant I had to Google it to figure out what the shell they were talking about. I had never heard of Foot Leo before, so not exactly. He's in the Foot, but you know, not Foot Leo, if that makes any sense.**

**Look guest123, a new chapter before June! **

**Enjoy **

Raph's POV

Leo yells something about the Kraang ship, and like cats chasing a laser, we all look in the pointed direction. Nothing. Not even any stars. I turn back to ask Leo what he's playing at, only to see . . . Empty space. Leo is gone.

Anger starts to form in my chest, but I squash it down. "Guys, where's Leo?" We look all around the roof and beyond, as far as we can see, but spot nothing. Until Donnie looks down.

"Hey!" He kneels then pops back up examining something in the palm of his hand. A T-phone. Leo's T-phone.

"He's run off again?" I say scornfully. Already? I was under no illusion that Leo would never run off again, but I didn't think it would be this soon. He saw Karai less than 24 hours ago.

"Not exactly, Raph." Donnie's voice is high-pitched, and hitches in his throat. He swallows a couple of times, then holds the T-phone up for me to see. A text message that was never sent glows bright on the screen.

* * *

There is no Purple Dragon threat. This was the only way I could get away. Sorry for the lie. Go to my room. All will be explained there. -Leo

* * *

"What the shell is he doing?" I wonder. Disappearing into thin air, blowing up at Master Splinter, throwing words and glares like they're daggers, leaving cryptic messages. What is Leo up to? What has happened to him?

"I guess we should head back home then." Mikey says, sounding unusually serious. Donnie and I nod in agreement and we start back to the Lair.

All the way, unanswered questions race through my head, searching for anything to set them at rest. What is Leo doing? Why did he lie to us? Why is he _inviting_ us to his room? Usually, if you enter his room, you get a monster shell-kicking next training session.

What does this have to do with Karai? It has to have something to do with her. His life has revolved around her since he met her, so she has to be involved somehow. If she's done something to my brother . . . I glare darkly at the ground beneath my feet.

I look at my brothers and see similar thoughts and emotions on their faces. Donnie looks puzzled and worried. He also looks . . . Afraid. And nervous. Really nervous. I narrow my eyes and squint at him. He's hiding something. He knows something about Leo that we don't. When we figure this all out, the first thing I need to do is interrogate him. If he knows something Leo wants to stay hidden, then we need to dig it up.

Mikey looks unusually serious. He looks . . . Honestly, he looks _grim._ He hardly ever looks this down. Something's not right, and Mikey can sense it. Mikey may not be the smartest turtle on the sewer block, but when it comes to mood, he's a freaking empath. I swear, that turtle always knows when we're upset, sad, angry, depressed, even hungry. If he senses something wrong with Leo, then something is seriously wrong. I frown. Whatever's going on, it won't be good.

The walk back home only takes about ten or fifteen minutes, but it feels like a decade. We all hesitate at the entrance, then step into our home. Master Splinter sweeps out of the dojo, sensing our presence and wondering why we're home so soon, and frowns when he sees we once again number only three. Lately, this has been more common then un-.

"Leonardo has run off again?" Master Splinter sniffs disdainfully, looking disappointed and slightly confused. And, is that anger I spot in his eyes?

"Sort of. This time's different. He left us a message." Donnie says nervously, holding out Leo's phone for Master Splinter to see. Master Splinter quickly reads the message, then frowns deeper.

He nods. "Then let us see what Leonardo has left us to explain his absence."

In a tight group, we make our way to Leo's bedroom. Before we get there, we see a streak of white on his door. When we stand right in front, we see it is a folded piece of paper. There are two words written in Leo's tidy script on the outside. _My Family._ The worry in my heart deepens, though I refuse to let it show and instead scowl harder.

"The dork can't do anything halfway, can he?" I growl softly. Donnie glares at me, then slowly, bravely steps forward. Gently, he untapes the paper from the door and unfolds it. He slowly starts to read it aloud.

_Dear Donnie, Mikey, April, Raph, and Master Splinter,_

_This is like my fortieth draft of this letter, but time's running out, so this is my last as well. I have so much to say, but have no clue how to say it, so I guess I'll just be frank and do my best._

_I'll just come out and say it. I'm leaving._

"What?!" I yell. I'm not the only one. Everyone there has said the exact same thing, almost at the same time.

"Leo's leaving?! Why? Where is he going?" I scream at Donnie. I doubt he heard me, because Mikey was yelling something along similar lines at the same time, while Sensei was saying something. This goes on for about a minute before Donnie finally regains his voice.

"Shut up!" He screeches at the top of his lungs. Silence falls over us and he flushes red. "Um, sorry, but how about I keep reading and see if Leo explains before you all start yelling at me?"

We blush, embarrassed, and Master Splinter nods. "We apologize. Continue, Donatello."

Donnie takes a deep breath, then picks up where he left off.

_Now that you're all done yelling at whichever one of you has dared to read my note, I'll try to explain as best I can._

"I hate when he does that." I grumble, referring to how Leo sometimes acts like he can read minds or something.

_Okay, this isn't easy to say, um, write, much less do. So please, try to keep that in mind. _

_There is no Purple Dragon threat, but there is a threat._

I open my mouth to speak, but Donnie cuts me off.

_And no Raph, I won't tell you what it is. You'll just come after/try to "save" me. And I can't let you do that. This is a one turtle operation. A really long one too. I don't know how long it will last. Hopefully not forever, but I can't rule out that option. So I have a few things I need to say._

Mikey is sniffling now, holding back tears. Donnie is the picture of calm, but I can tell from his voice he's also on the brink of crying. Me, I'm in shock. I feel numb. I feel absolutely nothing, like this is a bad dream I will wake up from any second now. Each second I pray this will be the last in this nightmare. Sensei is a statue, showing no emotion.

_First, I guess I should touch on the subject that's been most prominent of late. Karai. Don't go asking her for information on my whereabouts, because she will have none to give. She has nothing to do with the threat, so don't go beating on her. I don't want any of you or her to get hurt._

_I also have a confession to make about her. Donnie, it's okay. They can know now. As I'm sure everyone else is now staring at you, go ahead and tell them. Saves me the paper._

Leo is right once again. We are all staring at Donnie, who stops reading and smiles sheepishly and afraidly.

"Um . . . " He mumbles.

"You have two second to explain what Leo is talking about." I growl. "One . . ."

"I know about Leo's real relationship with Karai." He says quickly.

My eyes widen in shock. Donnie continues. "It was a totally accident I found out. When the Kraang ship came out of the portal and we all split, I stumbled upon Leo and Karai in an alley. I heard them talking, their voices were muffled so I didn't know what about, but then they - " he stops and blushes tomato red.

"They WHAT, Donnie?" I ask in a low voice.

"Well, um, they kissed." Donnie stutters out. My jaw drops. Kissed? Leo had the guts to kiss a girl? And the girl kissed him back? Unbelievable.

Donnie takes our stunned silence as a sign to continue. "When I went after him later, I confronted him and he came clean. When he left angry at you Raph, he met Karai, looking for information on the Kraang. Leo didn't have any to really share, so the conversation turned to Karai. Karai told Leo her mother was dead and her father had abandoned her. Apparently she started to cry, and Leo comforted her. That's how Leo said he could trust her, that no one could fake that kind of sadness. When he went to see her after the WWGP thing, they talked and then they kissed for the first time. Leo said they then went on a date, that they snuck into a movie theater and saw Avengers and How to Train Your Dragon. Leo told me that's why he was so devastated when he was banned from her. His heart was broken. That's not all though. When Leo and I went to set out the dishes, Karai approached us. Leo told me to give them a couple of minutes, so I did."

Before I can protest, Donnie holds up a hand. "Raph, Leo would have found a way to get some privacy either way. I figured I'd play it the safe way. Anyway, when I came back to check on them, Karai was in Leo's lap and sobbing like she was trying to cry a river. She was absolutely grief stricken. Leo glared at me, so I backed away. When I came back a couple of minutes later, Karai had calmed down a little. When I told Leo we had to go, she got up and walked away. Leo wouldn't tell me what she was crying about. And that's what I know." Donnie takes a deep breath and finishes his long story.

"Donatello, why did you not tell me?" Master Splinter asks, speaking for the first time since we found the letter.

"Leo made me promise not to. Sensei, Leo never came out and said it, but he loves her. Telling you would only have made it worse. He loves her and keeping them apart would have killed him. And from what I saw, Karai cares for him as well."

"Can we read the rest of the letter?" Mikey says in a small voice. My own heart breaks at the sad sound and from the look on Donnie's, his did too.

"Of course, Mikey."

_Assuming Donnie has told you, I should tell you what he doesn't know. When Karai started crying, it was because I persuaded her to explain her earlier comment. You heard it. She said Hamato Yoshi had stolen someone from her. It is with a heavy heart that I write these next words. Right before she broke down and cried, Karai said that her mother had been murdered. By Hamato Yoshi._

Donnie looks up from the letter and joins the rest of us in staring at Master Splinter. His eyes are wide with shock and his mouth is open at the accusation written in Leo's letter.

"It is not true. I would never hurt an innocent." Master Splinter shakes his head when he regains the ability to speak.

"Leo never said Karai's mother was an innocent." Donnie points out. I am shocked at what Donnie is suggesting by saying that. Does he think Sensei would actually do such a thing?! No! No way in shell would Master Splinter kill someone!

"Keep reading Donnie." I spit past gritted teeth.

_Before you start cussing me out, I'm just repeating what Karai said. I don't know if it is true or not. But I know Karai believes it, and I know why she was told so. Her father told her._

_Donnie, you asked me what was bugging me earlier today. Karai had told me a bit about her father, and why the Shredder hunts Hamato Yoshi. According to Karai, Shredder seeks vengeance for his wife, that Hamato Yoshi killed in an attempt to kill Shredder. Do I believe it? I . . . . . . I don't know._

_Why does Karai know this? Because Shredder's wife was her mother. Karai is Shredder's daughter._

* * *

LEO'S POV

The walk to Shredder's base isn't long. It only _feels _like it lasts forever. Every time the wind blows through my mask tassels, every time my foot hits something underneath me, every time I take a breath, every single moment, I want to turn tail and run far, far away. Back to when I didn't know about the threat, back to when no one but I knew about Karai, back to when I didn't feel so alone. But I can't. And I'm not alone, not completely. Karai is by my side, and I am reminded of this fact when she reaches over and grabs my hand, squeezes it tightly and looks at me before letting go.

I chose to do this. For my brothers. I will protect them until my dying breath, and this is the only way to do it. I am thankful for Karai's company that eases the loneliness that tiny bit that makes it bearable.

"We're here." Karai's voice is a whisper, but it may as well have been a shout from the way it cut through the silence and buried itself into my heart.

I nod, unable to use my own voice. Karai takes a step forward, about to jump down from the rooftop, but I grab her waist and pull her back. Before she can say a word, I press my lips to hers and we kiss. Nothing fancy, just our lips meeting for a few handfuls of seconds before pulling back.

"Thank you." I whisper, barely able to hear myself.

"Don't thank me for this. Thank me when we can leave alive." She says, her face grim as can be.

We hop down together and, not daring to get too close to each other, walk to the front doors. Shredder's base turns out to be an abandoned church. Ironic. And so, so wrong. I don't know what I had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this.

Two Foot soldiers flank the giant wooden doors. Upon seeing me, they draw their swords, but Karai quickly makes a gesture and commands them to put their weapons away. "The turtle is with me. I am taking him to see Master Shredder and if you harm him I will not hesitate to ask him to kill you both." I bite my lip. This is the other side of Karai's life. Her role as a Foot ninja and Shredder's daughter. I'm not used to seeing it, and it honestly unnerves me slightly. The Foot ninja bow and open the doors into an empty grand hall. We step in and the doors sweep shut behind us and shut with a loud thud that echoes through the building. Karai looks over and smiles sadly, yet rebellious and recklessly at me, and my Karai is back. I relax slightly. This Karai, my Karai's the real one, the Foot Karai simply a facade created to please her father.

Karai leads me an elevator that occupies a place of honor and great importance in the hall. While she pushes the button and waits for the elevator to arrive, I look around. The hall is empty. No other doors, no furniture, no nothing. Then I look closer, and I see areas, rectangles in the floor that are different shades than the rest of the floor. When the elevator dings and swoops open, I realize that this must have been where the pews were, where people would sit and pray. I bow my head slightly, trying to give this room the respect it deserves. I'm not sure where I stand on the whole religion thing, but I respect places of worship such as this. To have it used for such purposes - it is wrong.

Karai steps into the elevator and I follow her. There is a panel of five buttons just inside the doors and Karai hits the top one, marked with an "S". The doors shut, and we zoom up.

Neither one of us says a word. I couldn't, even if I tried. My heart has migrated to my throat, sweat drips down my forehead, and I can barely breath. I am about to confront the figure who is literally my worst nightmare, and ask to join him. How can I do this? Is it too late to leave and try and figure out something else to do? It is pointless to ask these questions. I already know the answers. I am doing this to protect my family, and yes. It's too late to turn away.

I take deep breaths like I am trying to go into meditation, and I manage to calm enough to breath normally. Too soon, the doors ding, and open to reveal a long walk to an elevated platform. On the platform rests a throne, and in the throne rests the Shredder. Dogpound sits a ways behind him, looking for all the world like a giant guard dog, and I have to choke back a laugh at the thought. What is wrong with me? I'm hysterical, that's what.

Karai walks out first and I am only a step behind her. Shredder looks bored at first, but when he sees me, he sits up straighter and even from as far away as I am, I can see a glint in his eyes. I hate it and fear it, that simple spark about laying his eyes on me, but I swallow my fear. I have to.

We walk until we are a mere ten feet or so away before Karai stops and I do too, one step behind her. Karai bows low, and looks at me like I should too. Forget it. A flame of anger flares to life. He is not my master, yet, and as such I will not bow to him. But I understand I can not show complete animosity, and so bow my head in a slow nod, never taking my gaze off of him, and try to keep the loathing in my eyes to a bare minimum.

"What have you brought me, Karai?" The Shredder says in a low voice that carries across the room, and I suppress a shiver.

"This is one of the turtles, Father."

"Clearly, Karai. But why is he here in perfect health and not restrained in any way?"

Karai opens her mouth to speak but I glance at her and nod. She purses her lips, then nods back, and allows me to speak.

With a confidence I do not feel, I take a step forward to be even with Karai, and address the Shredder.

"My name is Leonardo. I am the oldest of my brothers, and I have a deal to offer you."

* * *

LETTER

_Yeah, you read that right. Karai is Shredder's daughter. So not only did I fall for a girl in the Foot, but the daughter of our mortal enemy. And you know what? I don't care. She can't help who her family is anymore than I can help being a mutant turtle. Yet our relationship works. _

_So as a last favor for awhile, please don't hurt her. For my sake, don't. She isn't evil, just trapped by circumstances. Leave her be, please, and I'm sorry for all the lies._

* * *

"A deal?" The Shredder rumbles, sounding slightly interested. Mostly bored, but I could hear a spark of interest. "Continue, kame."

I bristle at the name (kame is Japanese for turtle), but go on. "I am here to offer you my services as -" I swallow hard, " - as a ninja in exchange for one thing."

The Shredder hmmmm's. "And what is this one thing?"

_Here it is, Leo. Don't screw this up._ "The safety of my brothers. I want you to swear not to harm them. Everything we have done has been defense, or offense against the Kraang that you happened to be involved in. This feud is between you and Hamato Yoshi, and I want neither my brothers nor I to have a role in it. If you do not attack them, or order anyone to in any way, I will be your soldier."

The Shredder thinks it over. "And why should I be tempted to accept, kame?"

"Because I'm actually good at ninjitsu, as opposed to your current army, with a couple exceptions." I say coldly. "Aside from Karai and maybe D-Bradford or Xever, I can beat anyone you throw at me. I can be very useful to you, Shredder, and it would be foolish to turn down my offer over 4 beings who have nothing to do with your vendetta."

The Shredder is silent for a few minutes, mulling over what I have said. The thing that scares me is, they're actually good points, and have almost convinced myself.

"Master, surely you can't seriously be considering -"

"Silence, Bradford. I do not need any input from you, you miserable mutt." The Shredder booms. Dogpound quickly backtracks and apologizes. "How do I know you would not betray me if I accept your offer?"

"I am a turtle of honor. And I would never take such a chance with my brothers in the balance."

"I can vouch for him, Father. Leonardo is not a liar. I would take charge of him, an apprentice of sorts, and keep him in line." Karai says dully, not looking her father in the eye.

* * *

_Donnie, thank you for keeping my secret. I hope I can thank you properly, but I hope this will work for now. Keep working on your inventions and never give up. Be true to your heart, but get out of the lab once in awhile. We miss you when you hole up in there for days on end, and you've told me yourself how important sleep is. I love you, Donatello. You'll always be my geeky, compassionate brother._

* * *

"You understand the consequences if Leonardo is . . . Disobedient?"

"I do Father." Satisfied, Shredder turns to me.

* * *

_Mikey, never, ever, ever change. I know in the past I have asked you to grow up, but I was wrong. You are the youth and light of this family that keeps the rest of us from becoming crabby, grim, old strangers. You keep making our lives brighter by doing what you're doing. I love you Mikey. You will always be my baby brother._

* * *

"Leonardo. I have decided to give you one chance. Prove your worth to the Foot, or betray it and - " his gauntlet extends with a _shing _\- " watch your brothers suffer before you yourself are killed very slowly."

* * *

_April, thank you. Thank you for just being in my life. You are a great friend and I'll miss you. You aren't just a friend, you're my family and I love you as such. I've always wanted a sister, and you've kinda taken that role. Thank you April. I will remember you and cherish the memories._

* * *

Though it pains my heart to do it, I know what I must do next. I kneel on the ground in a pose of submission. "I understand and I accept your terms." As the Shredder doesn't chop my head off the moment I expose the back of my neck, I assume he's satisfied with my gesture.

* * *

_Raph, I know that we've been in a . . . rough patch lately, and I'm sorry for acting like I did to you. None of it was your fault, you had every right and reason to do what you did. I was never mad at you, I just acted like it. I wasn't myself and I'm sorry. Raph, I don't know who Master Splinter will pick to be leader in my absence, but I believe you can do it. Just try to keep a cool head and think things through instead of jumping in headfirst. I love you, Raph. You will always be my favorite hothead and my best friend._

* * *

"Then you will be a warrior for the Foot under Karai's leadership. You will follow her every command to the letter, or suffer the consequences. Do you so swear?"

This is it. No turning back.

"I - "

* * *

_Master Splinter, I'm not sure what to say. I'm not sure how I feel right now. But you have always been my father, and I will miss your guidance and strength. Thank you for watching over me and my brothers all these years. Please remember, you will always be my father and my true master._

* * *

A single drop of sweat drips down the back of my neck. This is final. If I do this, I will never be the same. Until our bargain runs out, I will be Karai's, and therefore Shredder's to command. But I have to do it. I have to protect my family.

"- I swear."

**Well? What did you think? I tried to put more feeling into this, but was it over the top? I have no clue.**

**I'm clueless, so that's why I need you lovely reviews. So type the magic keys and hit the magic button and make a dork happy! **


	11. Clanmates

**This chapter is 6,500 + words! I'm so happy! And, OMG 11 chapters! I cannot believe my little one shot has turned into this, and that I still have even more to write! So awesome!**

**Guest123, here's one more chapter before you go outta town.**

**93 reviews! Wahoo!**

**Okay, I myself will be on vacation between June 7th and June 14th, so don't expect anything then, okay? **

**Enjoy!**

LEO'S POV

The two words slip past my lips, and suddenly I can't breathe. I have pledged myself to Shredder, and he can order me to do just about anything. I have thrown everything my Sensei has ever taught me by doing this, and although I have only been a member of this disgusting organization for a few seconds, I am already filled with shame.

Get a grip. This was the only way. There was no other option unless I wanted my entire family, and then the world to fall. Without my family around, Shredder would be unopposed in his plans to take over the world. Whatever I have to do is a small price to pay. I hope.

The Shredder turns to Karai and starts to speak to her in a language I vaguely recognise as Chinese. Karai replies and they talk for the next few minutes they completely ignore me and talk in Chinese. Finally, they seem to reach an agreement and Shredder dismisses us both in English. Karai bows low once again and this time I mimic her. Evil or not, Shredder is now my master, and as such I must treat him with respect. That doesn't mean it's easy. I have to replace him with Master Splinter in my mind to do it. In perfect synchronization, Karai and I rise and walk to the elevator. The doors shut behind us, and I can finally breathe again. I don't know quite what to say.

"Um, so you know Chinese?" I finally come up with.

Karai stares at me in a "Yeah, duh" way, and I hold my hands up in a "just checking/trying to make conversation" way.

"Yeah. Father's had . . . Business there before, and he taught me how to speak it. He also taught me Spanish and French and, of course, English."

"Of course." Silence falls on the elevator car again, until I pick up the courage to say something else.

"So, where are we going?"

She smirks. "Giving you the grand tour. Can't have you getting lost." In spite of myself, I smile. It's hard for me to be miserable around Karai.

The doors open and we are back on the first floor. We step out and Karai gestures to the whole room.

"This is where Shredder summons the entire clan when he has an announcement that concerns everyone to make. There aren't any other rooms on this floor, so that's all you have to know."

She herds me back to the elevator and we move onto the second floor.

"Normal soldier dojos. Three of them, actually, so everyone can train at the same time." We peek into one, a few soldiers training for what appears to be simply for exercise or fun. The dojo, I notice, is well-equiped, full of weapons and meditation mats and other training supplies. If nothing else, I will have a good place to train.

We very briefly stop on the third floor, which Karai explains is where the regular, faceless members of the Foot bunk. I ask her if this is where I will be sleeping, and she smiles wickedly at me. I take that as a no.

She shepherds me into the elevator. Next stop, fourth floor.

"This is where Bradford, Stockman, a few squad leaders, and I live." She says. She grabs my hand and drags me to the room to our immediate left. "We have our own private dojo for when we wish to train here."

She slides open the door, and my jaw drops. A huge dojo with a bamboo floor and walls fills the room. Weapons of all kinds and varieties hang from the wall, and there are several meditation mats and plenty of room to preform even the most space consuming katas. There are many punching bags hanging from hooks on one side of the room and dummies you can practice moves on. While everything has a touch of weathering to it, it's all still pristine and in perfect working condition, a stark contrast to the falling-at-the-seams tools we use back at the Lair. Despite its vastness, it still seems old-fashioned enough to be kind of cozy, in a weird way. I'll say this about the Shredder; he has rocking dojos.

"Whoa." I gaze around with wide eyes, trying to take it in. "This is . . . Wow."

"You were expecting a torture chamber?" Karai smirks. I blush. The idea had crossed my mind. Once or twice. A few times. Ten. Eleventeen . . .

"That's in the basement." Karai says as she brushes past me to the door. My face goes slack as I stare with bulging eyes at her retreating back. When she reaches the hallway and sees I'm not with her, she gestures me to follow, nothing in her face giving away if she's joking or not. I pray she is as I follow her. She points down to the left.

"Stockman, Bradford, and the squad leaders all room down there. One of the perks of such a big headquarters."

"So am I down there too?" I ask hesitantly. I really don't want to be closer to Dogpound or Stockboy than I have to.

She grins. "Nope."

"Then where do I sleep? The roof?" She just smiles at me.

"C'mon, I want to show you something." She starts down the right end of the hallway and I hurry up to her. We pass a few doors, all empty rooms, until we reach the end and Karai opens the last door on the left.

"This is my room." She says. Curious, I peek around her. It's a plain gray room; guess she hasn't had time to repaint. Or, hey, maybe she likes gray. There is a bed with black and red covers, a table and a chair on one wall (cherrywood), a set of double doors (closet I assume), a door that's probably a bathroom, a small stack of paperback novels written in Japanese by on the table, a few wall hangings on the walls along with a sword rack, and a tatami mat in the corner.

"You meditate?" I ask.

"Yeah, you?"

"When I get the time. Um, nice room. Simple. Comfy." What are you supposed to say about your girlfriends room?

"Thanks." She plops down on her bed. "It's not as nice as my bedroom in Tokyo, but it's alright." She gazes around, as if remembering the room in Toyko.

"I'd love to go there someday." She glances at me funny, and I blush as I realize what I said. "I mean Tokyo! I'd love to go to _Tokyo_ someday." I rub the back of my head and chuckle awkwardly. "Probably should have made that clearer." I mumble.

She just laughs at me as she gets off her bed. "Whatever you say." I blush harder. She pulls me out off her room and shuts the door. She then turns to the room directly across the hall, the last door on the right. She then gestures at it like she's displaying a incredible piece of artwork. "Here it is."

I tilt my head, trying to guess what it is I'm supposed to be seeing. Finally I give up and ask, "Here what it is?"

She rolls her eyes. "Your room, stupid."

"Oh." I say, feeling a bit foolish. She rolls her eyes at me again and flings open the door. I step inside and take a look at my new room. Obviously, it hadn't been used in a long time. The air was musty, like it had been sealed off for years. There was a bed with covers, a faded blue, and a bedside table coated with a layer of dust. The floor was carpeted gray and the walls a greenish teal color. This room had a window with a nice window seat by it, aimed to look out and observe the world outside it. All in all, it was a nice little room, and I was surprised at how, well, comfortable my accommodations were.

"Whoa. This is really nice, Karai. I'll be honest; I thought Shredder would stick me in a cell or something, or make me sleep chained on the floor."

"Well, he was initially going to put you on the third floor, but I convinced him otherwise. You're under my command, so I told him it'd be best if you were close so I could keep an eye on you. Plus, I thought you'd like this room. The fact it's so close to mine is a bonus."

I stand in the middle of the room and turn around, taking every little detail in. "Didn't think comfort and spare rooms would be high on Shredder's priority list."

"They aren't." Karai reassures me. "I did a little digging at the library. This place used to be a church that took in homeless people who were willing to do work. That's why it has so many spare rooms. Of course, only the ones on this floor are this nice. The ones on the third floor were turned into six giant rooms and are used as dorms."

"Lucky me." I joke.

"Very lucky." She says.

I take another look around and notice something I don't know how I missed before. A door. I open it to reveal my own personal bathroom and give a low whistle. "Nice. Back home, we all shared one. That's one thing I won't miss."

"Training starts at 5:30. I'll get you up at 5:00. All right?" Karai starts to walk out the door.

"Sure." I walk to her and kiss her cheek. "Goodnight Karai."

"Night Leo." She smiles at me and shuts the door behind her. I try to smile, but it slips off my face in an instant. I should probably go to bed right now, to get as much sleep as I can, but for some reason I don't want to. Instead, I move to the window seat and sit down. I press my shell against the wall and pull my legs close, resting my arms on my knees. I wipe away dust and look out over New York. I try to look at the sky, but clouds block the moon and stars. It's dismal out, and matches my mood. A real room (vs my expectation of a cell) doesn't mean I belong here. I don't belong here, in the heart of evil, far away from my family. I belong back in the sewers.

They say home is where the heart is. That phrase runs through my head as I watch the sky grow darker and darker, the clouds becoming bigger and grayer, swelling to huge proportions. Home is where the heart is, and, true, part of my heart is with Karai and therefore here would be my home. But other parts of my heart are with my brothers and my Master, and they are in the sewers. My heart is divided and I hate it. Hate that I had to make this decision, hate that the two parts of my heart are so far apart, hate that I can't bring them together to make myself whole again. I want a home again. I hate not having one, hate having to have forsaken my true home in favor of one I will never belong in, no matter how good I could ever become at acting like it is. I have a foot in each world, a huge rift in between that grows larger every passing hour. If I don't stop straddling the gap, I will be torn apart. I have already begun to, and it hurts. I cannot imagine the pain that will come when I am split in two and destroyed. The sky gives a rumble and with great gusto, opens up and allows rain to fall onto New York City. The raindrops splatter against the glass, then stream off and fall 4 stories to the ground. Even the sky knows that today is a day to mourn.

* * *

5:00 rolls around to greet me lying tangled in my sheets. I tossed and turned all night long, battling my covers in my sleep. I doubt I got more than a few hours sleep. Good thing I had a long nap yesterday.

Karai comes to wake me, and I slip my mask and gear on before she enters the room. She's not surprised to see me already awake, and simply gestures for me to follow her. I do, and she leads me to the dojo she showed me yesterday. Without any instruction, I begin stretching so I won't pull anything. By the time I do that, we have ten minutes before we're supposed to start. I decide to run through a couple of warm-up katas before training starts. I have only completed one before the Shredder enters, seven minutes early.

No doubt scowling behind his metal face plate, he instructs Karai and me to spar. We do not pause to bow and instead launch straight into battle.

* * *

Hours later, Karai and I bow to Shredder, me quite stiffly, and I exit the dojo while Karai stays after to talk to Shredder. I came into training all green. Now I am green and black and purple and blue. My skin dotted in bruises and torn with shallow, thin cuts, I trudge to my room and collapse on my bed. My muscles are burning and every part of me aches with pain and exhaustion. Training was brutal, a far cry to my routine back home. Back in the sewers, no real harm would ever come. True, accidents happened, and you're bound to be sore afterwards. But this . . . This was borderline on abuse.

After sparring with Karai, Shredder had me run through various katas. For a while, I did fine. But then I started making mistakes. Every time I did, a fist or a foot would come out and strike me. One time I made the error of dodging it. I won't do so again. Shredder would then furiously correct me and I would make the adjustment. I'll say this, I have gotten a bit better in those long hours. But the price of pain doesn't feel worth it.

_Man up, Leo. You didn't expect this to be a daycare, so quit acting like it!_

I can only hope I preformed adequate for Shredder. If not, I may be saying goodbye to my family permanently.

I drift off into a uneasy sleep before the sound of my door wakes me. I sit up to watch Karai step out from behind the door.

"Hey." I greet her.

"Hi." She looks at the ground, then back at me. "Sorry I didn't warn you about him. I should have."

"It's okay. It would have happened either way." I get off my bed. "So what's the verdict? Am I out on the streets?"

"Not even close. He wants to train you personally."

I gulp, very nervous. "What? Why? What did I do? He was furious with me."

"Leo, the katas he had you doing were advanced, and you were doing pretty well on them. He just won't admit it. He told me he wants me and you to stay here while he takes on your training. No mainstream second-rate teacher for you."

"Great." I give a strained grin. More face time with the Shredder, who wants to train me. Wonderful. More beatings when I mess up, more pushing until I collapse, more distance between me and my brothers. I'm deep in Foot country after only a day, and I'm only going to push farther in.

When did my life become so complicated?

I watch Karai suppress a yawn, and frown sternly at her. "Did you go with Shredder to get the weapons last night?"

"So what if I did?" She says, looking away and indifferent.

"Karai . . . "

"Yeah, so what?"

"Did you get any sleep last night?" I ask her.

"Yes!" She says. I continue to state at her, and she sighs. "I _did._ An hour." She adds in a low voice.

"Bed." I point at my door.

"Leo." She whines playfully. I feel the urge to grin, but keep my in-charge-of-you face on and continue to point.

"Please."

"Take a nap Karai. I'll see you later, I promise."

"Fine." She grumbles as she grudges out the door, shutting the door behind her. A second passes, then I hear muffled laughter, and I let myself join in. I can survive this. I have Karai at my side, and I am ninja. I can do this. I will survive the Shredder.

My bruises ache, as if saying _good luck with that. _

* * *

APRIL'S POV

The minute I wake up this morning, I see a text flashing on my T-phone. Donnie. I quickly read it, an urgent note begging me to come to the Lair as soon as I can. I must break several traffic laws and maybe even a few laws of physics as I hurry down to the sewers. I burst into the main room, vaulting over the turnstiles. Three turtles are waiting for me with somber expressions on their faces. Raph, Donnie, and Mikey. No Leo.

"What's wrong?" I ask quickly. Where the heck is Leo? Don't tell me he's with Karai.

"Leo . . . He left last night. He left this for us." Donnie says, holding out a folded piece of paper. The words _My Family_ are written on the outside. I start to open it, then pause and look up at Donnie. He nods the go-ahead and I open the letter. I read the letter carefully, and by the time I get to where he addresses me, tears are brewing behind my eyes. I finish, and one of the tears escape. It rolls down my cheek, over my mouth, under my chin, then lets gravity take it and pull it to the concrete floor.

"I-is this all true?" I whisper, looking up at Donnie.

"Well, um, uh . . . " Donnie stammers, unsure of how to answer. "Well, Leo meant every word." He finally says.

"He's - he's really gone?" Donnie bites his lip and nods, avoiding my gaze. I feel those tears start to fall and launch myself into Donnie, burying my face in his plastron. Donnie stumbles back a step, then wraps his arms around me. Leo was gone. Leo was gone and from the sound of his letter, he wasn't coming back home any time soon.

Leo's like a older brother to me. One that I can always come to if I need anything, even just a sympathetic ear. He's always been there for me, for all of us. Why would he leave us now?

I pull away from Donnie and wipe away my tears. "Do you have any idea why he left? What this threat he was talking about is?"

He shakes his head. "Leo was careful not to hint in the letter where he was going or what he was going to do. He really doesn't want us coming after him." He pauses. "Thing is, before he disappeared, he had been talking with Karai. He looked, well, disturbed and deep in thought when he came home. Karai must have been the one to tell him about the threat."

"Why wouldn't he tell you guys about it, though?"

"That's what I would like to know." Raph grumbles.

* * *

We don't do much. Donnie explains everything I need to know about Leo and Karai. Then we sit around and try to watch TV, but the first show to pop on is _Space Heroes_, which only reminds us of who we're missing. We end up watching the news, which only serves to depress us further. Somehow, all of us manage to fall asleep. Don't ask me how; I have no clue. All I know is I wake up to find the Lair slightly darker than it was when I arrived. I check my phone. It's not too late, but I should probably get going. My aunt will worry. But as I make to leave the Lair, my feet follow a different path. I get that weird feeling again. This one is telling me to listen to my feet, which seem to have a mind of their own.

My feet lead me past the dojo and down a hallway I never go down: the guy's rooms. My feet lead me to the last one on the left and instinctively I know it's Leo's room. I place my hand on the doorknob and slowly turn it until I hear a click. I push the door open and step inside. I move to the middle of the room and take a good look around.

The room is neat and organized, a bed with blue cover perfectly made. A huge _Space Heroes_ poster dominates one wall, while shelves are lined up and down another l, full of books, with a comfortable beanbag chair in a corner. _Ranger's Apprentice_ #3 is lying on it, a scrap of paper marking Leo's place. Another corner is devoted to meditation, a tatami mat, candles, and insencse, the perfume stuff you lit, all there, waiting for their owner to put them to good use. A sword rack for his katanas is hanging on a wall, and a small table holding a picture of the mutant family and Leo's T-pod.

I turn around, trying to figure out what has lead me here. I cast my mind out, and something, I don't know what, draws me to Leo's T-pod. I take a few steps towards it and pick it up in the palm of my hand. I've only held it for a few seconds before I hear a voice behind me.

"What are you doing here?" Donnie asks softly. I whirl around, feeling embarrassed I was caught.

"Donnie! Um, I - I don't really know. I got that feeling again. It led me to Leo's T-pod." Donnie walks over to me and takes the Mp3 player from me. He turns it over in his hands, examining it for anything out of the ordinary.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Donnie concludes.

"Maybe we're supposed to listen to it." I suggest. Donnie shrugs, but I pay him no mind as I unwind the ear buds from around the T-pod. I put one in my right ear and Donnie puts the other one in his left earhole. I turn the device on, and it kicks up with a blue glow. The device takes a second to get its bearings, then turns to a home screen. Using my intuition, I press playlists, then scroll down. One playlist catches my eye, and I look at Donnie. His reddish brown orbs meet my blue ones, and we share a nod. I press the tab named _Karai. _The song list pops up and I hit shuffle. First song on the que is _All Of Me _by John Legend.

* * *

_What would I do without your smart mouth_

_Drawing me in and you kicking me out_

_Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down _

_What's going on in that beautiful mind_

_I'm in your magical mystery ride _

_And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be all right_

* * *

_My head's underwater, _

_But I'm breathing fine_

_You're crazy and I'm outta my mind_

* * *

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections_

_Give your all to me,_

_I'll give my all to you_

_You're my end and my beginning_

_Even when I lose I'm winning_

_'Cause I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you, oh_

* * *

_How many times do I have to tell you?_

_Even when you're crying you're beautiful too_

_The world's beating you down and I'm around through every mood._

_You're my downfall, you're my muse_

_My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues_

_I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you_

* * *

_My head's underwater,_

_But I'm breathing fine_

_You're crazy and I'm outta my mind_

* * *

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_Love your perfect imperfections_

_Give your all to me_

_I'll give my all to you_

_You're my end and my beginning_

_Even when I lose I'm winning_

_'Cause I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you_

* * *

_Give me all of you_

_Cards on the table and we're both showing hearts_

_Risking it all, though it's hard_

* * *

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections  
_

_Give your all to me  
_

_I'll give my all to you  
_

_You're my end and my beginning  
_

_Even when I lose I'm winning  
_

_'Cause I give you all of me  
_

_And you give me all of you_

* * *

_I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you, oh _

* * *

As I listen to the song, it's like I'm there, but in another place at the same time. Somehow, I can hear Leo's voice singing the song, and the passion and emotions he's putting into the song . . . It's absolutely beautiful.

The song ends and I find myself in tears once more. Oh, Leo. Is this how you feel about her? You really love her, don't you Leo?

The next song starts up, _They Don't Know About Us. _And the entire playlist plays. _Teenage Dream _the cover by Boyce Avenue. _Sparks Fly, Enchanted, Mine, _and _Fearless _by Taylor Swift. _One Thing, What Makes You Beautiful, Stand Up, Everything About You, She's Not Afraid, Last First Kiss, _and _Live While We're Young _by One Direction. _Wicked Game _by Chris Issak. _Bleeding Love _by Leona Lewis. _We're Breaking Free _and _Start of Something New _from High School Musical. The list goes on and on and with each one that passes, Leo's love for Karai becomes bigger, clearer, stronger, and more precious. I make no attempt to hide my crying as the music and Leo's voice singing along to every single one washes over me. I bury my head in his shoulder, and Donnie nervously wraps one arm around my back.

"Can you hear him?" I ask softly.

Donnie looks confused. "Hear who?"

"Leo. Can you hear his voice too?"

Donnie, looking concerned, shakes his head. It's only me who can hear him. "Do you still have that feeling?"

I nod. "I can hear Leo singing the songs. He has an amazing voice, Donnie. He loves her."

"I know." He sighs, pulling me a little closer.

* * *

ONE WEEK LATER . . .

* * *

LEO'S POV

A week has passed since I joined the Foot. Every day has been basically the same. Get up at 5:00, eat a quick, light breakfast, train at 5:20, shower and grab lunch at about 11:30, nap until 4:00, and go back and train until 8:00 for dinner and yet another shower, then do it all over again the next day.

If I was a full-fledged, completely trusted Foot soldier, I'd be patrolling all night in shifts, catching catnaps in between to make sure I get some rest. Since I'm not, I take time to treat the new minor injuries from training that day, talk to Karai as much as I can, then try to sleep.

Some nights are better than others. Some nights, I only wake up a handful of times with nightmares about my family. Some nights, the nightmares are my entire life. I try to take it day by day, telling myself today will be the last. A trick I learned, chunking things so a huge project or chore doesn't seem so big. I yell myself, just concentrate on surviving today. Nothing matters past that, it's just today. Then I go to bed, wake up, and start the cycle over again. It works, so far. It gets me through the days.

True to Karai's announcement, I have been training with the Shredder. Every day, I bow to the Lord of Evil and carry out his every order. I make mistakes. Everyone does. I pay for every one. I _am _learning. I'll admit that. I am learning new katas, new ways to move and new ways to shape my body and use my weapons with deadly precision. I'm also learning from Karai how to treat cuts from getting infected. I've also learned from personal experience that getting struck across the face with the blunt of a gauntlet _hurts._ It also leaves three streaks that ooze blood. The marks are slowly fading. I hope they'll be gone by next week.

I don't feel welcome here, and I never expect to either. This isn't my place; my heart and soul don't belong here. Surely everyone here, including Shredder, can see that. Therefore, it comes as a complete surprise when Karai brings me a new set of clothes.

"What are these?" I ask bluntly as I stare at the pile of stuff in her hands.

"Your new uniform."

"Uniform?" I clock my head in a "you've got to be joking" fashion.

"Did you honestly think Shredder would let you run around dressed like that?" I'm still wearing the belt, mask, and pads I arrived in.

"I never really thought about it." I admit.

"Well, here." She shoves the pile of gear into my hands. "Get dressed. Shredder wants to see us both in 45 minutes."

I duck back inside my room and shut the door. I lay everything out on my bed and I'm thankful I have so much time. I'm going to need it.

* * *

A HALF HOUR LATER . . .

* * *

A half hour later, I've figured it out and I'm standing in front of my bathroom mirror. My uniform is a strange combination of Karai's and my old one. On my feet, I wear black hard soled slippers that come above my ankles. I wear black (for lack of a better way to describe them) leg warmers. I would call them tights or spandex pants, but they don't connect over the crouch; they're two separate items designed to hide my legs. I wear the same thing on my arms as well, also black. I have a black sleeveless tunic that has ends that are ragged, like they were torn. The end comes down about an inch past my plastron, and the arm warmers make sure no skin is exposed by the lack of sleeves. I wear specially made 3-fingered gloves that are snug and made from silk. A black belt is tight on my middle, and a black strap is thrown over my shoulder, to attach my sheaths to. I am given armor as well, dull black like everything else. Plates on my forearms and shins, and plates that cover my shoulders, adorned with a faded dark red Foot symbol. Gotta make it clear who I'm associated with, if not who I am. To top it all off, I was given a new mask. Around my eyes, it is the same shade of blue as my old one, but it darkens until the end of the tails are completely black. The tunic has a deep cowl and a hood. I pull it up, and my face vanishes. I can tell there is someone underneath the hood, but all features are lost in the shadows. Not an inch of me is exposed. If I didn't know, I wouldn't be able to tell I was a mutant turtle. I am someone else entirely. Shredder's new pet, a nameless assassin.

_Assassin? Where did that come from? I haven't killed anyone. _But I have to admit, I look the part.

A knock at the door interrupts my train of thought and I open it to reveal Karai. Her eyes widen and her jaw drops as her hands go to her mouth. I realize I'm still wearing the hood and quickly pull it off. Her hands fall back to her side and I hear her breathe a sigh of relief. Her hands then ball into fists and she punches my chest.

"What was that for?" I complain.

"For wearing that creepy hood when you opened the door. Nice mask."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Come on, let's get the final piece."

"Final piece? Final piece of what?"

"Your uniform." She walks to the dojo and I follow her closely. She walks to the wall full of hanging weapons and pulls down a pair of sheathed swords I have never seen before. I hitch the double sheath to my shoulder strap and pull out the swords. They are twin katanas like my old ones, perfectly balanced. The hilt is exactly like mine except the colors are different. Black instead of bright red, and dull blood red instead of gold. I do a few practice swings. They're perfect swords. I resheath them.

"They'll do."

We move to the elevator and take the short trip up to the 5th floor. I haven't been up here since the night I arrived. Shredder is, of course, waiting for us, sitting in his throne.

"I see your uniform fits, kame." Shredder has never once called me by my real name.

"Hai Master Shredder. Thank you for your generous gift. I will wear this uniform with honor and pride." The words burn as they roll off my tongue, but they are necessary to avoid a beating.

"I have decided to let you accompany myself and Karai on tonights mission. The second part of the weapons shipment has arrived at the docks and we will retrieve them tonight."

"Hai Master Shredder. Thank you for the chance to prove myself."

The Shredder just makes a disgruntled noise. "Karai, take him with you in the truck. I will follow along shortly."

* * *

With that, Karai whisks me down to a huge truck and pushes me into the cab. We share the passenger seats while a faceless Foot drives. Soon we arrive at the docks and I pull my hood up while Karai slips on her faceplate. We gratefully jump out of the car and are met by the Shredder. How he got here before us will remain a mystery.

At his command, we follow him to a man standing in front ofa fancy limousine. The man is missing an eye and has a face covered in scars. Shredder starts spouting threats that the man meets with ease. Eventually, the talk ends and Shredder orders us to load the truck with the crates in the shipping container, holding weapons of all kinds. For once, I'm glad the Shredder brought so many Foot. Otherwise, this would take all night.

We have only loaded about half when I get a strange feeling. I stop for a second and look around, trying to see what giving me the funky vibe. The answer appears in front of me. Literally. The Kraang ship is hovering over the docks.

I don't think. If I did, I probably wouldn't do it. Instead, I just do. I crack open one of the crates and pull out a missile launcher. I pay no mind to anyone else and instead run for high ground. Shredder yells at me in his booming voice what the shell I'm doing, but all I say is, "That!" I leap onto a building and crouch. Then I realize I have no clue how the thing works. Luckily, I'm not the only who saw the Kraang ship.

"Aim with the circle! When the ship's in dead center, pull the trigger!" Karai screams at me.

I lift the heavy weapon up and look through the sight. _Closer, closer . . . _Finally, when the ship is only 50 yards away, I pull the trigger. I'm pushed backwards from the kickback of the launcher. The missile soars straight, then flies up and smacks into the hull of the ship and explodes. Direct hit. The ship goes down and crashes onto the docks. Smoke pours out through various holes as I jump down and approach the ship, Karai only seconds behind me. The ship seems done for.

Unfortunately, the Shredder is also right behind me. I turn around at the sound of his footsteps, then am slammed back to the ground as his fist connects with my face. He grabs me by the collar of my tunic and pulls me up to face him. My hood falls away and he can see my face.

"Never go against my orders and act on your own, or you will suffer. Understand, kame?"

"I understand, Master Shredder." I choke out. "I simply wished to take out the Kraang ship before it could attack you. Forgive me, Master."

The Shredder releases me, and I fall to my knees, trying to catch my breath.

"This was a Kraang ship?" He growls.

"Yes." I gasp.

"Father, look." Karai calls, pointing at the ship. Both the Shredder and I look, and I see a Kraang trying to scramble away. The Shredder cuts it off, though, and picks it up by its tentacles. The Kraang struggles, but it cannot escape the tight grip.

"Hmmm. Perhaps your actions were not completely . . . Unprofitable."

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

* * *

An alarm wakes me from where I lay slumped on my desk. I unfreeze my computer and check to see what caused the alarm. One of my outermost security alarms has been tripped. But only one. Whatever it was must have split after tripping it. But I should probably check anyway. I grab my bo staff and head out the door.

It only takes seven minutes to reach the spot, and at first I puzzled by what I see. A pile of twisted scrap metal. Then I spot the note on open of the heap. I read it quickly.

_What's left of the Kraang ship._

A huge grin crosses my face. This is Leo's handwriting. He's alive.

**So what did you think? This was the end of the Enemy Of My Enemy arc. Guess what the next section is. :) you all are really going to hate me.*evil grin***

**Review please! **


	12. Partners In Crime

**Hey! I'm back from vacation and it was awesome! We spent four days on the beach and went to this place called Cumberland Island where we saw wild manatees, dolphins, wild horses, an armidillo, and ruins from a fire. It was amazing!**

**Over 100 reviews! Ahhhhhhhhh! I love you guys so much! Thank you for inspiring me to write and pursue this passion. Thank you all! :)**

**And now I'm back with another chapter! Since nobody guessed, I'll tell you. This is my rewrite of the episode Karai's Vendetta! I'll give your minds a second to remember what happened in that episode . . . **

**Told you you'd hate me. :) Enjoy!**

LEO'S POV

The night after I took out the Kraang ship, just after I finished training and was about to hit the showers before dinner, the Shredder calls Karai and me to his "throne room", as Karai calls it. Immediately, I'm set on edge. The Shredder hadn't stayed to train me tonight, choosing instead to stay on the fifth floor and set Karai on me in a four-hour long sparring session. His excuse was that it would help me build endurance in a fight, but I had suspected he couldn't be bothered to train today and wanted to punish me for being insubordinate. But now I wonder if he had an ulterior motive.

Karai and I step into the elevator and with a pang of dread, I press the button for the fifth floor. The trip up is far too quick for my taste, and the doors soon swoop open.

A table has been set on the floor in the middle of the walkway with the Kraang bot on it. The Shredder looks over it, the Kraang he captured in a small cage resting on the table.

"Kame, Karai. Finally." I hold back a frown. We came as fast as possible.

"I was about to interrogate this, Kraang, and I thought that you two may be of some use to me."

"I will do everything in my power to help you, Master." I say humbly, bowing alongside Karai.

"Good." Karai and I approach, getting as close as we can while still being as far away from the Shredder as possible. The Shredder reaches into the cage and, avoiding the snarling Kraang's attempts to bite him, grabs the Kraang's tentacles. He pulls it out and hangs it out.

"What are you doing here on Earth?" He asks, and I struggle to say nothing. I have already told Shredder, many times, about the invasion. Karai has backed me up on every claim. Is there really any need to waste time questioning and threatening this Kraang?

The Kraang, unable to speak, simply snarls as he tries to break free of the Shredder's iron grip.

"They don't speak much outside their little houses." Karai jokes, banging a fist against the crippled Kraang bot. The Shredder seems to scowl at her (but who can really be sure with that helmet he wears all the time? I mean, would it kill him to take it off once in a while?), but then seems to realize she has a point and thrusts the Kraang into its robot body. The Kraang is only too eager to accept, and immediately shuts his eyes and takes control over the machinery.

Lights along what would be the spine if it was a human light up, and the eyes power up, signaling the Kraang is in control. For a moment, the Kraang grins in fierce pleasure. The grin turns into a scowl as it tests its range of movement. Shredder has removed both the arms and the legs from the droid, making it impossible for the Kraang to move anything other than the head.

The Kraang turns its head to the Shredder. "The one known as the Shredder will not be doing any of the thing called learning of the things known as Kraang's plans for the planet called Earth in the dimension known as Dimension Twelfth Earth." The Kraang says.

Shredder's gaze turns dark. Well, darker. "Do they all talk like this?"

I nearly laugh, but instead settle for grumbling, "Unfortunately."

"You didn't have anything else planned for today, did you?" Karai smirks.

The Shredder flicks his wrist, and a razor-sharp knife slides out of his gauntlet. He leans over the Kraang in a menacing fashion, and I feel a small burst of pity for the alien.

"I will only ask one more time. What are the Kraang planning for Earth?" The knife slides over the Kraang's real skin, threatening to break the surface.

The Kraang's expression becomes panicky, and the words that come through the speakers seem rushed and slight garbled.

"Kraang has things known as plans for performing the action called terriforming the planet known as Earth in the dimension known as Dimension Twelfth Earth into a planet known as a planet that Kraang can do the thing known as colonizing to."

The Shredder growls. "Kame, translate."

I think for a second. "The Kraang are planning to pollute and mutate Earth into a planet they can live on, and one we natives can't."

Back to the Kraang. "When will this invasion take place?"

"The plan known as invasion of the planet Earth of Dimension Twelfth Earth has been in the phase known as active for the earth number sixty of the units of earth time known as centuries."

"Kame." Shredder snarls.

A couple of seconds to sort through the confusing sentence. "The Kraang invasion has been happening for the past sixty centuries, which is about . . . six thousand years. This is simply their first big bid for Earth, or at least the first time it's been noticeable." Well, this is new. The Kraang have been invading for over 6,000 years and no one has noticed? Or maybe they have and were able to foil the invasion before it got anywhere. Hmmm. Something to think about.

"Why has the invasion not already commenced?" The Shredder says. I lean forward on the balls of my feet. I'm interested in this myself. Maybe this isn't a waste of time.

"Kraang is in need of the girl known as April O'Neil before the plans for the invasion of the planet Earth of Dimension Twelfth Earth can proceed any further than the point at which the plan of the invasion of the planet Earth of Dimension Twelfth Earth is at."

The Shredder doesn't even have to speak. I work my way through it, then swallow and say heavily, "The Kraang need the girl called April O'Neil to make any more progress invading Earth."

April? Is that why the Kraang kidnapped her and her dad? She was the real target that night, like we thought so after we found all those pictures of her on the Kraang flash drive. But why? Why would the Kraang need April? No offense to her, but there's nothing exceptionally special about her. Well, there is that sensitivity thing. But the way Mas- Splinter acted, it wasn't unheard of, just rare. What could April possibly do to help the Kraang invade?

"And why do you not already have April O'Neil?" The Shredder asks.

"The one known as April O'Neil is being protected by the ones called the turtles." And just like that, the Kraang is forgotten as both the Shredder's and Karai's focus turns to me. I involuntarily take a step back. Thanks for nothing, Kraang.

"Kame, what do you know about April O'Neil?" He utters her name like it is a curse.

"Sh-she's a friend, t-to my brothers. W-we rescued her from the Kraang on our first night on the surface. She was grateful and we hung out. She has been a help to the war against the Kraang, able to collect information my brothers can't. She is completely normal, though. There is no reason for the Kraang to need her."

"Obviously there is one! Or they would not be hunting her." He booms.

Nervously, I bow low and stay there, kneeling, tensing my muscles for a blow.

"I understand, Master. I simply do not know what it might be. When I left, we had learned the Kraang were targeting April from a flash drive we recovered. There was no explanation why, however." I tense even further, expecting a blow. A kick, a punch, something for not having mentioned April earlier.

"The girl may know, or your filthy brothers may have found out by now." He murmurs instead of striking out.

"That is true." I say slowly. "I would have no way of knowing. I have not seen them since I arrived here, Master."

"As it should be, Kame." He pauses. "You have been here how long?"

"A little over a week, Master."

"Then it's time you've had a test of loyalty." I frown. Test of loyalty? I don't like the sound of that. But if I say that, I'm doomed, and so are my brothers.

"Anything, Master. I am yours." The words fall out of my mouth, and I hate myself for saying them. I hate myself so much for having to grovel at the feet of this psychopath, yet I hate the psychopath in question so much more.

"Find April O'Neil, and bring her to me. I have some . . . questions I wish to ask her." I freeze, a feeling of horror mounting inside me. I have to _what_?!

"Karai shall accompany you to oversee the assignment." No! No! I can't do this! I can't hurt April! I can't bring her to this miserable place, to be strapped to the table in the place of the Kraang! No, I can't! I WON'T!

"This test shall determine if you are truly a member of the Foot. If you fail, your deal is off."

Shredder's not-so-subtle reminder. If I fail or refuse to do this, the deal's off, and I will most likely be killed, and my brothers will be hunted to extinction. I have faith in their ninjitsu abilities, but with the resources Shredder has, it's clearer to me than it's ever been before that in a game of cat and mouse, Shredder would win. He CAN'T win. I have to win his approval and keep our deal alive. That means . . .

_BUT APRIL! _My heart gives a scream of protest. Sadly, I ignore it. I mouth a silent plea for forgiveness, then lift my head.

"I accept." Like I have any choice.

* * *

RAPH'S POV

It's been over a week since Leo left. I'd never thought I'd say this, but I wish that he was sitting in front of the TV watching his dorky show. The only contact we've had with him was yet another note and a few scraps of metal that was apparently the Kraang ship, and it's killing me, not knowing. None of us have any clue to where he is, what he's doing, who he's fighting.

Donnie analyzed the metal and confirmed that it is Kraang metal. He also found residue on one of the pieces that he identified as residue from a missile. Whatever hit the Kraang packed a serious punch. Which raises the question. How on earth did Leo get his hands on something that powerful without anyone else knowing? Just what is Leo up to?

* * *

Today starts out boring enough. There's been no sign of the Kraang or the Foot since the Kraang ship was taken out, so we have no mission to be frantically working on. Mikey's chilling in front of the TV, Donnie's holed up in his lab with April, and I'm reading one of my favorite horror comics. The leader of the team of survivors of the zombie apocalypse has infiltrated the Maridian stronghold and offered himself to the alien leader. He didn't tell his team though, so they are frantically searching for him.

I flip the page, then Donnie bursts out of his lab.

"Hey guys. Guess what April and I have been doing?" He asks, still giddy from hanging out with April.

"What?" Mikey bites.

"Analyzing sewage!" He says, like it's something super exciting.

"Who says you don't know how to show a girl a good time?" I joke.

"Anyway, Raph, we found something." He leads us into his lab, to a table containing a large breaker full of water. April waits by it.

"We were analyzing the sewage water when I noticed an anomaly. The Kraang have been diluting the water supply with Kraang water. Presently, there's only a small concentration, so there are no harmful affects." Donnie lectures.

"But pure Kraang water is very dangerous. Watch what happens when I dip a slice of Mikey's pepperoni and sardine pizza in this breaker of pure Kraang water."

Donnie takes a slice of the gross pizza and sticks it inside. The minute the pizza touches the water, the water starts eating away at it like acid. In seconds, the entire thing is gone.

"If the Kraang up the dosage, -"

"All the pizza in the world will be destroyed!" Mikey cries.

"Along with anything that uses water, Mikey." April reminds him.

Mikey ignores her. "I don't want to live in a world without pizza." He shakes his head and grabs the pizza box. The pizza box the breaker of acid-like Kraang water was resting on.

The breaker goes flying, straight towards April. The water spills, and everyone in the room screams, moving towards April to do, well, something. April screams and tenses, preparing for the horrible end. The water splashes on her and . . . Nothing happens. The water simply drips off April's arm.

"Wha-wha-what?! How - But that's impossible!" Donnie stutters, completely amazed.

I'm pretty shocked myself, but I throw it off. It's what Leo would do. With him . . . not around, I'm the oldest.

"Donnie, we need to shut the Kraang water station down. Where is it?"

"Here." Donnie pulls out a map, showing the location of the base. At the bottom of the East River. _Super._

"Want to join us, April?" Donnie asks. I barely suppress an eye roll.

"While I'd love to, unfortunately it's at the bottom of the river. And, equally unfortunately, I have an essay due. I'll head home and grab some human food on the way."

"Pizza's human food." Mikey points out.

"Not the way you guys eat it." She gently teases as she shoulders her bag.

"Wait, you're going out on the surface?" Donnie trips over his desk, scrambling over it towards April. This time I do roll my eyes. Seriously.

"Donnie, I do live up there." She smiles.

"You have your T-phone on you, right?" He asks anyway.

"Yeah. Don't worry, Donnie. I'll be fine." She reassures him, walking out the door.

Donnie stares longingly after her with a sad gaze, and I sigh. The brainiac's got it bad.

"C'mon Donnie, focus. How are we going to get to the Kraang base? We can't hold our breath for that long."

Donnie blinks, then smiles. "Don't worry Raph. I built something that can get us there. It's pret-ty awesome." He gestures towards the ceiling and I look up.

How did I miss _that?_

* * *

"This is so NOT AWESOME!"

* * *

KARAI'S POV

I stretch my legs, run my eyes, then retrain my eyes on the alley below. This is the place Leo says April usually comes out. As he can't walk around the streets in broad daylight, it's up to me to approach April.

Behind me in full Foot uniform with his hood down, Leo paces back and forth, nervous as a cat.

"Would you stop that?" I hiss.

He stops and glares at me. "Sorry I'm a little nervous when I'm being forced to _kidnap my only human friend._"

"What am I then, your dog?" I snap.

His face grows panicky. "Karai, I didn't mean it like that. You are my friend, you're just - also so much more."

My frown eases. "I know. Sorry." I shouldn't be so rough on him. This can't be easy. The only reason he's here is because his brother's lives hang in the balance.

He walks over to me and peers over the side of the building. Still no sign of the girl.

"Why couldn't Shredder have given a different test?" He murmurs.

"Be glad he gave you this, Leo." At his cute clueless glance, I sigh and roll my eyes like he's the worlds biggest idiot.

"Leo, he'd go after April either way. And anyone else he would send would have no qualms about hurting April. This way, you can at least ensure she won't be hurt during the kidnapping. Besides, it wouldn't be much of a test of _loyalty _if it didn't involve someone you have old ties to."

"Thanks, that makes me feel _so _much better." He says sarcastically. I throw his hood over his head, and he lets out a noise of protest. He flips it back down, then lets his eyes travel up and down my body.

"Nice outfit, by the way." He says. Today, I've foregone my usual ninja garb and dawned some regular civilian clothes. I wear brown combat boots, a skintight yet flexible pair of patched and torn jeans, and a snug brown bikers jacket with metal spikes on the shoulders and buttons for retro punk bands on the chest.

"Thanks. Just keep those eyes on my face." I smirk as I watch him blush and stammer, denying any such inappropriate action. He's such a sweetheart.

"I'm kidding." I smirk, before a movement in the alley catches my eye.

"Leo." I whisper urgently, pointing into the alley. He looks down to watch the girl covertly climbing out the manhole. She's looks to be about 15 or 16, and about 5'2". She has red hair and a smattering of freckles on her face. If I were to pass her on the street, I probably wouldn't pay her a second thought. She's completely ordinary looking, shouldering a beat-up brown messenger bag.

"That's April." Leo sighs, looking with longing at the piece of his former life.

"You still got the cloth?" I ask. He sighs and nods, patting a pocket on his strap. Before we left, we got a cloth soaked in chloroform. Pressed up against the mouth and nose for a few seconds, and you're out cold. Our plan is to knock out April so she won't fight us as we take her to base.

"You ready, Karai?" I purse my lips. This doesn't feel right. Kidnapping a girl simply because she has gotten mixed up in this business. But unless I want Leo to die, which I certainly do not, I have to do my part and Leo has to do his.

"Ready." I wait for April to clear the alley. "Meet you at the rendezvous point." Leo nods grimly, and I slide down the fire escape to tail April O'Neil.

* * *

APRIL'S POV

I round the corner and melt into the crowd of people walking the streets. After awhile, the mob thins out as I get closer to my destination. By the time I arrive, the people are almost nonexistent. I take a deep breath and smile as wonderful smells full my lungs. Murakami's cooking. Best in the world. Well, at least New York City.

I walk up to the shop, but pause when I see what's in front of it.

"This is new." I mumble as I crouch in front of the machine. It looks kind of like a soda machine, but the selections are . . . strange.

"What is this thing?" I ask myself. To my surprise, someone answers.

"Oh, that's how you order." A light voice says behind me. I look I've my shoulder to see a girl who looks my age put a coin into the machine, push a button, then draw out a wooden token. "They have these back in Tokyo. You give this to the chef."

"Oh, thanks." I sigh with relief. I quickly make my selection.

"No problem." The girl smiles. "Mind if I join you?" She asks as I stand up.

"Uh, sure." I say. She seems nice enough, and it's thanks to her I figured the machine out. I walk into the shop, the girl one step behind me.

"Hi Murakami!" I greet the chef.

"April-chan." He addresses me.

The girl behind me silently shuts the door, and slides into a seat next to me.

"How are you?" He asks as I set the token on the table. He runs it, then smiles.

"Ah, pizza gyoza." He smiles.

"Hai!" I answer.

"You speak Japanese?" The girl asks me.

"I picked up a few words from -" Crap! Can't say the turtles! " - my . . . friends."

"Really? Tell me about them." She asks.

"Oh, they're guys. They're just . . . crazy -"

"Animals?" She guesses. I glance at her, but she looks like she's just teasing. I take a deep breath.

"Pretty much." I smile.

"You know, I've never heard of pizza gyoza back in Tokyo." She changes the subject.

I smile, more out of relief than anything else, grateful to get off the topic of my friends. "That's because Murakami invented it. You should try some."

"Good thing that's what I ordered, then." She jokes, slamming her token on the table. Murakami picks it up, smiles, then goes back to where he's cooking.

At her words, I feel a twinge of suspicion. If she's never heard of them, why would she order it? Why would she stop by a restaurant to get a dish she's never heard of? _Easy, April. Maybe she heard about it, and came here to try it, and is just making_ _conversation. _

"You'll love it." I promise.

"I'm sure I will." She grins. "What's your name?" She asks.

"I'm April."

"My name's Karai."

I jump in my seat. KARAI?! No. Surely this isn't . . . But, then again, how many girls this age in New York are named Karai?

She notices my startled reaction and frowns. "Something wrong?"

"Ya-You're Karai?" I ask, staring with wide eyes, almost afraid of her answer.

"That's what I just said." She frowns even more, looking confused, and a bit defensive.

"Is your father -" My mind races to remember the Shredder's real name. "- Oruko Saki?"

She freezes, then glares at me. "Who are you?" She growls, her eyes narrowing.

"I - I'm a friend of Leo's." I say the first thing that pops into my head that I don't think will get me killed.

"April." She murmurs. "April _O'Neil?_" She asks. I nod furiously.

She smirks. "Hmm. What're the odds?"

"You're _not _going to kill me?"

She laughs. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't kill innocent people, April. Besides, if I did, Leo would break up with me, and you aren't worth that."

"Thanks." I roll my eyes.

"Anytime."

Murakami walks over, carrying the trays of pizza gyoza.

"Arigato." Karai says, and I hurry to copy her. The chef smiles, then goes to the back.

"I'm guessing Leo suggested those to you?" My earlier suspicions are now explained.

She nods. "Yeah He said these were really good." She takes a bite, and her eyes widen. "And he was right. As usual." She adds as an afterthought. She pops another one in. "Wow, these are incredible. Best dumpling ever."

I continue to stare. This is the girl Leo's so in love with? I have to admit, she wasn't what I was expecting. If I had to pair her with one of the guys, I would have picked Raph based on her appearance, what with her punk hair style and several earrings.

"Take a picture, Red, it'll last longer." She comments offhandly as she continues to eat. I feel my ears go red.

"Sorry." I mumble. "I just - I've heard a lot about you through Leo, and -"

"All good things, I hope." She smirks. I'm silenced for a second, trying to think of something to say.

"So, um, have you heard from Leo recently? Like in the past week, or so?" I know Leo said not to ask, but I have a feeling he was directing that at his brothers. He doesn't want them to beat up Karai looking for information. Surely it wouldn't hurt for me to just ask, right?

"As a matter of fact . . ." She gives a lopsided smile. "This is about him leaving his home, isn't it?"

"You've seen him? Where? When? Is he - how did you know he left his home?"

"He told me. Duh." She rolls her eyes. "And he's fine, Red. He's on some kind of huge solo mission that he wants to keep his brothers out of because it's "potentially dangerous"." She makes air quotes. "He said he didn't think he'd be able to keep the secret and complete the mission if he stayed at home, and that it'd be really bad if he didn't complete it."

"That idiot." I fume. "Sometimes his solo hero junk is really annoying. He should know by now he can count on his brothers."

"He does, O'Neil. He just wants to protect them. Trust me, this doesn't seem like an easy mission. The last time I saw him, yesterday, he was covered in fresh cuts and bruises."

"Leo." I hiss, concerned. Who the Heck is he fighting, and why won't he tell anyone who it is? "I thought you said he was fine." I glare at her, remembering her earlier statement.

"He is. None of his cuts were very deep or very harmful."

Sigh. "Do you know where he is?"

For the first time since I've met her, Karai looks nervous. "Officially? No." My shoulders slump, but she goes on. "But, yeah, I do. I followed him back to his hideout. He made me promise not to tell anyone, though."

"Please." I plead. "Take me to him. I just want to know that he's safe." _And to slap some sense into him._ "Please. I promise I won't tell his brothers."

She looks at me, as if assessing me.

"_Please._" I repeat.

She looks up at the ceiling and sighs. "Fine. I'll take you. But you're taking all the blame for this, got it?"

"Deal." I smile. She smiles back and stands up, laying some cash on the table. I do the same, even though I haven't touched my meal.

"Let's go." She smirks, walking out the door. I hurry to keep up.

She leads me through the streets to a shadier part of town, mostly abandoned buildings. There's almost no one around, and there's absolutely no one in the streets that I would like to run into in a dark alley.

"Are - Are you sure this is the right way?"

"What? You scared, Red?" She teases.

"No." I defend, biting my cheek.

We walk awhile longer, then finally stop outside an old warehouse, long forgotten. The padlock's rusted off, and Karai rolls up the door with little effort. She ducks below the door and gestures for me to follow. Hesitantly, I do so. She shuts the door with a small boom behind me, and I jump a little.

A little light filters through holes in the ceiling and walls, just enough to see Karai's figure as she walks across the room to a small door in the back. She opens it to reveal a dimly lit staircase. She holds the door open mockingly.

"After you." I don't particularly want to be the first one to go down, but I refuse to look scared in front of Leo's girlfriend. April O'Neil is not a coward. So with a confident stride, I walk to the door and start the trip down. I hear the door shut, and Karai's footsteps join mine as we thud down the steps. It's not an awfully long staircase, and we soon make it to the bottom. Not much to see. A makeshift sleeping bag, some candles, pads of paper and old pizza boxes. My heart drops at the idea of Leo living here instead of his nice room back home.

"Leo! You've got guests!" Karai shouts.

"One second!" A voice calls back. Leo's voice! My mouth splits into a grin.

An door opens and Leo pokes his head out. He must have something on his mask, because it's turning black on the tails. "Hey, Ka- April!" His eyes widen in shock and before I can say anthing, I'm engulfed in a hug. I shut my eyes and hug him back.

"It's good to see you, Leo." I say.

I register something hard underneath my chin and frown. I pull back and open my eyes. They widen in surprise.

"What the Heck are you wearing?" I cry. He's wearing all black with armor. Armor! Leo! His mask suddenly looks like it's supposed to look like that. His smile is gone, replaced with a heavy frown. A splash of red on his shoulders catches my eye and I examine it.

"The Foot?" I squeak, recognizing the symbol. "Leo, why are you wearing the Foot symbol?"

Leo says nothing, only steps to me, reaching in his belt for something. I step back, suddenly afraid. The pieces fly together, and paint a horrifying picture.

"You joined the Foot clan." I gasp.

Leo's eyes are haunted as he nods. "Yeah."

"You - you - traitor! You did this for Karai! You lied!" I shout. I try to run, but Karai blocks the only way out. I turn back to come face to face with Leo. He grabs me and pins me against his shell, like a human shield.

"Let - go - of - me!" I struggle, but his grip is like iron. He presses a cloth against my mouth and nose.

"I'm so sorry, April. And I'm not a traitor." He whispers to me as a haze comes over my mind. A couple seconds, or maybe a few centuries later, I black out, the sickening realization that Leonardo, the most loyal person I know, joined the enemy plaguing my mind.

**So how will Leo deal with this? April? DONNIE? Find out in the next thrilling addition to We Are!**

**Please review, I love each and every word of feedback.**


	13. Kidnappers

**Who else is excited about the new TMNT movie? Cause I know I am! *fangirl squeal* **

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**Here's the second half of my Karai's Vendetta arc. I hope you enjoy!**

LEO'S POV

April's body grows limp in my arms and I shift my grip on her, gently lowering her to the ground. I make the mistake of looking at her face. Her expression frozen on her features, I can clearly see shock, anger, sadness, and betrayal. It's that last one that really gets me.

She called me a traitor. _Traitor._ The word sears into my brain and flares with angry red flames. _Traitor. _Hot tears bubble behind my eyes. _Traitor. _A barb of pure self-loathing pierces my heart. Even though I know I'm not a traitor, the feeling of betrayal radiating from April hurts. She called me a traitor, and instead of proving her wrong, I knocked her out so I could take her to Shredder without a struggle. I feel lower than low. I feel . . . dirty. It's not a good feeling. I feel branded by her words, like the word traitor is burned into my skin for all to see, and I want nothing more than to run away and hide from the hurt and shame.

"Leo?" I'd forgotten Karai was here. I look up over my shoulder. "We have to go. Before she wakes up."

Karai's right, and I know it. I wish she wasn't.

My vision blurs as I scoop April up in my arms bridal style. Her head lulls against my plastron, and I feel undeserving of even that small touch.

_Gee, self-esteem at an all-time high, Leo?_

We climb up the staircase, but I pause before leaving the warehouse. "Wait." I call to Karai ahead of me. I carefully set April back down and unsling her bag from around her shoulder. I search through it, feeling like a Peeping Tom for going through April's stuff, but finally find what I'm looking for.

"What the Heck is that?" Karai asks.

"April's T-phone." I answer, scanning my surroundings.

I move to remains of what was a wooden crate and bury the T-phone under it all, setting April's bag on top of the wreckage.

"This way my brothers can't track the phone to us." I explain.

Karai nods. "Smart."

I shrug, then pick April back up. Looking at her hurt face, I sigh, and pull my hood up so Karai won't see the tears drip down my face as we head back to Foot headquarters.

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

With the mission accomplished and us only a bit soggier after it, I steer the sub into the sewer tunnels and instruct it to surface in my lab. Mikey is the first one to hop out, with Raph right on his tail. I take a little longer, climbing the ladder and dialing April at the same time. My brothers tease me all the time about my constant worrying, and I know a good deal of it is unnecessary, but I can't help it. The Kraang could attempt to snatch her again, and while I know she's been training with Master Splinter, too many Kraang and she'd be helpless. If anything ever happened to her . . . Well, I don't think I could ever forgive myself for not being there to help her. So I worry and check on her. Better safe than sorry.

The phone rings . . . and rings . . . and rings. April doesn't pick up. I frown. April always picks up, unless she's away from the phone. _That's probably it. _I tell myself. _April probably left her T-phone in her bag and is downstairs helping her aunt or something. _But still, I fire a text into cyberspace, asking what's up. No answer. I take a deep breath. It's probably nothing. She's probably just away from her phone. A nagging feeling in my gut, though, says otherwise.

* * *

APRIL'S POV

For what feels like forever, I swim in a sea of darkness. Nothing in front of me, nothing behind me, nothing above, below, or to the right or left of me. Absolutely nothing. Gradually, the blackness lightens, becoming a dark grey. The sea is a little less suffocating, and I feel a bit more like I am a person. The sea then slowly lightens even more, becoming a light shade of grey. Then someone hits the fast forward button, and the sea zooms to white. I finally break the surface, and with a jump wake up.

Feeling groggy and dazed, I don't immediately open my eyes. Instead, I sway in place with my eyes closed until I feel orientated enough to open them. I do, and immediately wish I had left them shut, or stayed unconscious.

I'm in a small, dark room with solid brick walls. There are no windows, and only one door, if you could call it that. It's more like a gate, or a door to a cage, with 2 inch thick steel bars. I try to stand up, or at least scoot towards the door, but I can't. There's only one thing in this room besides me, and it's a massive chain. On one end of the chain is a cuff clasped tight around my wrist, connected to a twin on my other wrist by a 5 inch long chain. The other end if the massive chain is fastened to a steel plate that's bolted to the wall. While 4 inches thick, the chain is only a couple feet long, keeping me trapped on this side of the room. There's no doubt about it. I'm in a dungeon. And as my recent memory starts to return to me, I remember it was Leo who put me here.

* * *

TWO HOURS LATER. . .

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

It's been 2 hours since I texted April, and there's still been no reply. April never ignores my texts or calls. I'm really starting to get worried. But if I say anything to the guys, they'll think I'm overreacting. Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to make sure she's not at her aunt's before I sound the alarm.

I type in her aunt's name on my computer and pull up her apartment. A little more digging and I have her phone number. Whipping out my T-phone, I dial in the number. I take a deep breath, gathering myself, before I hit talk. I press the phone to my ear and listen to the dial tone.

It rings about 5 times, and just when I'm about to lose my nerve, someone picks up.

"Hello?" A female voice says.

"Uh, h-hello. I-is A-April O'Neil th-th-there?" I stutter.

"Who's asking?" She says warily.

"Uh, I'm in April's tr-trigonomity class. M-m-my name's Donnie. I wasn't there yesterday, a-a-and i wa-wanted to s-see if there was a-any homework." I make up on the fly, my face burning.

"Sorry, April's not here right now. She's visiting some friends of hers. If it's any help, I would try her cell."

"Oh. Okay. Thank you, ma'am."

"You're welcome." There's a beep, and the connection is lost. Feeling shaken, I hang up on my end as well. April never went home? But she left over three hours ago! There's something seriously wrong here.

Now I don't hesitate to go to my brothers. "Guys!" I burst into the living room where my bros lounge.

"Where's the fire, Don?"

"You didn't blow something up again, did you?" Raph asks pointedly.

"_No_." I brush off his question. "I think April's in trouble, guys. She's not answering my calls or texts -"

"So of course she's in some life-threatening situation." Raph rolls his eyes sarcastically.

I ignore him. " - and I called her aunt - "

"You WHAT?!"

"I didn't tell her who I was. Anyway, she said April never came home, even though she told us she was heading straight back. Tell me that's not fishy."

Raph sighs. "All right, you've got a point. Can you track her phone?"

"Of course I can." I pull up the tracker program on my T-phone and select April. The location that pops up worries me even more.

"The warehouse district in Beckers. Guys, that's a rough part of town. What if she was mugged? Or kidnapped? Or -"

"Calm down, Donnie. We'll check out your girlfriend, okay?" Mikey says, getting up and stretching his legs.

I nod, too grateful to even attempt not deny his teasing. "Thanks Mikey." I sigh.

"Let's move." Raph says. I frown deeply and he notices. "What?"

"You aren't Leo." I tell him bluntly. _So quit acting like it. _I add in my head.

He chooses not to answer, instead brushing past me to the exit.

* * *

We travel by rooftop all the way to the warehouse. Every step of the way, worries and situations spin through my head, each more horrifying than the one before. By the time we actually reached the warehouse, I was in full-blown overprotective/worried-out-of-my-skull mode. I would have charged into the warehouse if Raph hadn't held me back.

"Donnie, wait!" He hissed as he grabs my wrist, stopping me from jumping down to the street.

"What?! We're wasting time!" I snap back.

"Charging in there won't do any good. We need to be careful. For April's sake." He adds, seeing my mutinous look.

I glare, then sigh. "Fine."

Together, we make our way in the shadows to the warehouse. We scale the walls swiftly and make to a rather large hole in the ceiling. The sight before us makes my heart sink to the bottom of my feet. Nothing. There's absolutely nothing in the warehouse. No Kraang, no Foot, and no APRIL. The warehouse is completely empty.

"What?" Raph says, puzzled. "Donnie, I thought you said she was here."

"She - she is." I say, numb. But it's obvious she's not.

"Maybe she's in the basement." Mikey says weakly, pointing to a door in the corner of the warehouse.

"Maybe, Mikey." Raph concedes, nodding. "Let's check it out."

I want to believe that. I want to believe that April is in the basement and we're only moments away from freeing her and springing her to safety. But I know in my gut she isn't. A fact that's confirmed by a quick search of the basement. A sleeping bag that hasn't been used recently, a few old pizza boxes, and some candles. No April.

We troop back up the stairs. I'm the last up, and I shut the door behind me. The minute I do, Raph turns on his heel to face me.

"Where is she, Donnie?" He says with a scowl. "You said she was here, so enlighten me."

"I - I don't - I'll call her." I say, pulling up her number on my phone. I hit call, and wait. The chorus of "Ours" by Taylor Swift suddenly plays from a corner of the warehouse, and we all jump. The sound is coming from a pile of slats, and I break into a run as I spot something familiar lying on the heap. April's bag. A hand of grief grabs my stomach. The music continues to play, and I dig through the rubble. My hand brushes against something round and I pull it out. April's T-phone, a heavily edited picture of me on the display. The hand on my stomach tightens into a vice.

I fall to my knees and stare at the photo, listening to the ringtone play over and over. If this were any other day, and I was looking at this for any other reason, I'd be ecstatic. She has a picture of me with hearts, and she has a romantic song, one that always reminds me of her, as her ringtone for me. But someone took April. Someone took her and knew to relieve her of her T-phone so we couldn't track her. Someone's kidnapped my April.

My vision blurs, and I blink heavily. I feel a hand in my shoulder and breath in my ear as one of my brothers leans over me. Red tassels brush my shell.

"Don't worry Don. We will find her. I promise." Raph says lowly, voice firm with absolute certainty.

"Yeah dude. We'll get your girlfriend back." Mikey says.

I nod determinedly, eyes narrowed. "Yes. Yes we will. We'll track down the creeps who did this and- " I say in anger that surprises even me.

"Save April." Raph finishes.

* * *

APRIL'S POV

I give another half-hearted tug on the bonds chaining me to the wall, but just like the first 50 times, they prove unyielding and simply just dig into my skin. I sigh. I'm not sure how long I've been conscious down here. I had started counting at one point, but lost count around 750. That was a long time ago, or at least it feels like a long time. Who can tell down here?

All alone down here, I have no choice but to reflect on how I ended up here, my thoughts fragmented and confused. Leo. The boy who was always so loyal. I would have never thought he would ever join the Foot, but the mental picture of him in uniform haunts me, making it clear he has. He left us, for what? Karai? That's the only reason I can come up with. Leo would never turn on his brothers, but join the Foot to be with his darling Karai? A couple of months ago, I would have said never. But now? It's not out of the question. The more I poke and prod at the theory and the circumstances around me, the more it stands out as the only reason. Leo joined the Foot for Karai.

A feeling of anger bubbles up inside me. He left us for _her?!_ I get that he loves her, but join the Foot?! How could he? And he kidnapped me! On Shredder's orders no doubt. What's he going to do if he meets his brothers? Kill them for his new master? How could he betray us because of her?

Angry tears begin to form in my eyes, and I blink them back down. No. I will not give whoever is watching the pleasure of seeing me cry.

Another long, empty stretch of time passes with no change. I start counting bricks in the ceiling, then when I run out of those I count torches in the hallway outside my door. Then bricks in the floor. God, what I wouldn't give for a bouncy ball or something, _anything _right now. Is this Shredder's big torture scheme? Death by boredom? I chuckle humorlessly at the joke. There's nothing funny about any of this.

A rap of flesh against metal startles me out of my bleak thoughts, and I jump. A hooded figure, silhouetted by the torch light, stands at my cell door, holding a tray. I stare in fearful anticipation at it, and a gloved hand pulls down the hood to reveal Leonardo. My startled expression changes into one of anger. He gives me a sad little smile, and I pointedly turn away. His face falls, and a look of resigned sadness and guilt mares his features. He pulls out a keyring and unlocks the cell door. He steps inside and kneels before me. I say nothing and refuse to look at him. Childish? Sure. But I'm mad, and have nothing to lose.

He sets down the tray in front of me. "Thought you might want some food. Karai told me you didn't eat any of the pizza gyoza you ordered."

"And whose fault is that?" I spit out.

He looks even more sad and guilty and hurt. "April, I - "

"Save it."

"I just - " He starts to say helplessly, looking around at everything but my face.

"Betrayed us? Yeah, you did." I growl angrily. "How could you, Leo? How you join him, just because of her? How could you just betray your family for that girl? How could you of all people become a traitor?!"

"I'M NOT A TRAITOR." Leo's eyes glow fiercely. "How could you think that?" He pleads.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you just _kidnapped _me and have the Foot symbol plastered on your shoulder?" I shoot back.

"Believe it or not, I don't have much of a choice in this." He sighs, looking sorrowful at me. "If I don't do this, if I don't become Shredder's little toy, my brothers will die. This was the only way to keep them safe. I would never betray my brothers. I love them. I am not a traitor." Leo's eyes shine brightly, even in the dim lighting.

"What do you mean?" I ask warily.

"Shredder has weapons; a whole boatload of them, literally. He also has an army of Foot soldiers ready for him to give the word to hunt my family down. Karai told me of his plans, and this was the only way I could think of to stop him. We made a deal. He leaves my brothers alone, and I become his newest plaything for him to train and command." He says bitterly. "I would never turn against them. You have no idea how much I miss them in this shellhole. Karai helps ease the loneliness, but I miss my brothers. As for kidnapping you, again, no choice. I back out or refuse, he just kills me, kidnaps you anyway, and hunts my family down. Doing this was the only thing I could have done." He sighs again. He looks down at his hands on his knees, clearly regretting and feeling guilty for his actions.

"Leo." Suddenly, a wave of guilt slams into me. Leo didn't betray us, or join the Foot for his girlfriend. He did it to protect his brothers. I can't believe I thought Leo would be here for any other reason. It's in his nature to be selfless, and this is just another example of it. And I called him a traitor for it, something a person like Leo, an honorable person, would take like a bullet.

"Leo, I - I'm sorry."

He takes a deep breath. "It's okay. I know this wasn't exactly the . . . best way to tell you." He pushes the tray towards me again. "Here. You should really eat." I look down. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a cup of applesauce.

"Thanks." I move my hands and grab the sandwich. Leo watches as I scarf the meal down.

"So . . ." I ask when I've finished the small plate. "What does Shredder want with me?"

"The Kraang are after you, and Shredder wants to know why. He interrogated one earlier that said you were the reason the Kraang hadn't fully invaded. Shredder wants to know what's so special about you, so he sent me to, um, pick you up, as both an errand and a test of loyalty."

"But - but I don't know why. There's nothing special about me." I tell him worriedly. The Kraang need me to invade. But, why? I'm just April O'Neil. I don't have power or wealth or anything. What could the Kraang possibly need me for?

"You don't? You haven't learned anything since I left?" He presses.

I shake my head. "All I know is they're after me, not my father. No idea why." A thought occurs to me. "I'm immune to Kraang water."

"Kraang water?"

"The Kraang are, or were, trying to convert Earth water to Kraang water, which is like acid to organic material."

"And you're immune?" Leo cocks his head.

"Some accidentally spilled on me and did absolutely nothing." I shrug. "Again, I have no idea why. But that can't be why the Kraang need me."

"What did you mean by, "were"?" Leo asks.

"Your brothers were heading out on a mission to take out the base when I left the Lair." I explain.

Leo frowns, and I can tell he's worrying about them. "They'll be fine, Leo. It was just a simple mission. Get in, destroy the base, get out." I decide not to mention the fact that the base was at the bottom of the river. "Trust me, the guys are perfectly capable of destroying things." That gets a smile out of him.

"I know."

We fall silent for a few more minutes, before Leo awkwardly stands up. "I have to go. If I stay down here too long, well, I don't want to find out what would happen."

I nod in understanding.

"I promise April, I'll do everything I can to get you out of here as soon as possible."

I nod. "Please."

His expression hardens into one of determination. "I will." He smiles to me, then leaves, locking the door with a regretful look at me. He pulls up his hood and is about to walk away when I think of something.

"Leo?"

He stops, and looks at me. At least, I think he does. It's hard to tell with his face hidden in his hood. "Yeah?"

"You said the deal with Shredder was that he would leave your _brothers_ alone. What about Master Splinter?"

Leo's silent for a few seconds. "I didn't ask." He finally says. "I didn't think that even offering myself could get Shredder to leave Splinter alone, so I only asked for my brothers safety." He walks away before I can comment. I stare after him for a few minutes, then lean back against the wall, my imagination unwilling to shut down and spare me of what the future could possibly hold.

* * *

LEO'S POV

I climb up to the steps of the dungeons, and breath a sigh of relief when I make it to the ground floor. I hate the dark made of corridors down there. They give me the creeps just thinking about them. Guilt stabs me as I remember April is stuck down there, and I'm the one who brought her. Like I said to her in the cell, this was my only option. That doesn't mean I'm happy with it. Because of me, April is trapped in that miserable little hole in the ground.

"It's not your fault." A voice besides me says. I turn to look at Karai leaning next to the doorway.

"Tell my conscience that."

"Leo's conscience, it's not Leo's fault he had to do this." She says firmly, staring at me, daring me to argue. I'm not stupid enough to.

"C'mon, let's go." I mutter, and lead the way to the elevator. Karai slides the door to the dungeons shut, the door blending in with the rest of the wall perfectly. She then scurries into the elevator just before the doors shut. The ride to the fifth floor takes longer than usual, or at least it feels that way.

"Leo?"

"What?"

"When this is over, when Red is back with your brothers -"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to catch a movie or something? We haven't done anything but train together in a while."

I smile, despite the situation I'm in. "Will Daddy Dearest let us get away with it?"

"What, you think I tell him every time I leave Foot HQ? Don't worry, we can sneak in and out easier than you can perform 10 back flips."

"It's a date then. But we have to agree on the movie, _and _you're buying popcorn this time."

"Deal."

That agreed upon, we spend the few seconds of our trip up in silence before the doors swoop open. We step out and walk into Shredder's throne room. We bow respectfully, my teeth biting a hole in my cheek. You'd think that bowing to him would get easier. It doesn't.

"What did you learn from the O'Neil girl, kame?" Shredder booms.

"She was - surprised to learn that she was key to the Kraang invasion. She had known that the Kraang were after her, rather than her father as she had first suspected. She had not learned anything new about the overall Kraang invasion, besides gaining further evidence that the Kraang are attempting to terraform Earth." I'm careful to keep my tome neutral. Too much enthusiasm or hesitation, and Shredder may believe that I'm lying, or that I'm eager to convince him to let her go. I am, but I can't let him know that.

"Is that all?"

"She believes she is completely ordinary. The only thing she could think of to the contrary was that Kraang water didn't affect her."

"Kraang water? What effect should it have had?"

"From what I gathered, Kraang water is acid to organic material. But it did nothing to April. But there's nothing that directly proves April is out of the ordinary in any way. She may have had something on her skin that protected her, like a lotion or oil. Or Kraang water may not affect humans." I shrug. "There are too many variables for it to be proof of anything unusual with April."

The Shredder hmms, mulling my words over.

"She knows nothing useful, Master Shredder." I plead, sensing an opening. "The best thing we can do is send her home before m-the turtles decide to start searching for her, and concentrate on the Kraang end of the connection."

"I did not ask you, kame. I am the master, you miserable freak." I lower my head and say nothing, clenching my teeth. What feels like hours pass before Shredder speaks again.

"Baxter will take samples of her blood and skin, then I will question her myself. If I am - _satisfied, _you may release her." He finally booms.

I stand along with Karai, and bow. "Of course, Master Shredder."

"Get Baxter started. The minute he's done, bring her to me, cuffed of course."

"Hai, Master."

* * *

APRIL'S POV

Some time after Leo brings me food, he returns. This time, he's not alone. With him are Karai (still wearing the biker garb) and someone wearing a lab coat who can only be Baxter Stockman. This time, Karai unlocks the cell and Baxter and Leo step inside. Baxter kneels in front of me, while Leo stands against one of the walls.

"Give me an arm." Baxter says, drawing an empty syringe out of his lab coat and swabbing it with a pad that I guess is soaked with alcohol.

I look at Leo, and he nods, hood covering his face so I can't see his expression. I hold both arms out, due to my cuffs, and Baxter grabs my left. He rolls up a sleeve, finds a vein, and gently sticks me. The syringe slowly fills with my blood, and when it's full, Baxter pulls the needle out and rolls my sleeve back down. He doesn't bother to put a bandage on it and blood starts to stain my shirt.

"Now a skin sample." He mutters, his comment aimed more at himself then me. He pulls out a brush type thing and a Petri dish. He grabs my hair and I pull away in surprise.

"Hey! What gives?"

Baxter looks surprised I talked back, like a guinea pig just roared at him. "I need a skin sample. Skin cells are looser on the scalp than anywhere else, so I figured I'd take some from there. Unless you want me to take some from somewhere else, which is bound to be . . . less comfortable." His voice lowers, and it almost sounds like a threat. I involuntarily glance at Leo and he nods, telling me to go along with it.

I huff, then lean forward and relax. "Warn a girl next time, alright?" Baxter runs his brush on my skin, and flakes of dead skin cells are caught in his dish. He caps it, labels it with a Sharpie, then puts everything back into his lab coat.

"I'm done here." He says, standing up.

Karai nods. "Good. We'll escort you to your lab on our way up." Baxter moves away, and to my surprise, Leo comes over to me and kneels over my shackles. He pulls out a key and fiddles with my bonds for a moment, before unlocking one of the keyholes. My hands remain cuffed, but I am no longer chained to the wall.

"What's going on?" I hiss.

"You're getting early parole." He jokes.

"I'm free? Just like that?" I gasp.

He sucks in a breath. "Almost. Um, Shredder - wants to - um - speak with you first. But after that hopefully you'll be free to go."

"Hopefully?!"

"Don't worry." Leo says, sounding very worried. "It'll be okay."

"C'mon Leo. Let's get a move on." Karai says, tapping her foot in the doorway.

"Coming." Leo rolls his eyes, yet smiles. He helps me into my feet, and the four of us troop down the hallway. We climb up a set of stairs, then emerge in an entrance hall. Leo leads me to a set of double doors, then pushes a button beside it. The doors open to reveal an elevator. We all pile in, then begin the longest and most awkward elevator ride of my life. Numbers flash on a display above the doors, stopping when it turns to 4. The doors open, and Karai pushes Baxter out.

"Get started." She barks as Baxter stumbles, turns around, and adjusts his glasses to see the doors closing behind him.

As they do, Leo sighs. "Did you have to push him?"

"Leo, he's annoying and an idiot. You've said so yourself." Karai says bluntly, raising an eyebrow.

"Fair enough." He rolls his eyes. Karai punches his shoulder and he grins. The way the two of them interact doesn't cease to amaze me.

The elevator rises to the 5th floor, and Leo tenses and pulls his hod down as the door slides open. I am taken to a room I have seen once before, when spying for the turtles. If I had to describe it, I'd say it was a throne room. And perched on the Dark Throne of Evil is the Shredder.

I suck in a breath as Leo walks me toward the Shredder. This is the first time I've been up close and personal with the Shredder. I've heard stories about him ever since I met the turtles, and the time the guys came back covered in cuts and bruises will forever be fixed in my memory. This guy is like the Lord Voldemort of the real world, and I'm less than ten yards away from him.

"April O'Neil?" He booms, saying it almost like a question.

I can't speak past the nervous lump in my throat, so I simply nod mutely.

"Kame has told me you have no theories as to why the Kraang are so ... desperate to get their tentacles on you." For a minute, I don't know who he's talking about, but then I remember kame is the Japanese word for turtle.

"Th-that's right - I - I mean true. I don't know." I stutter.

"And you feel you are completely ordinary, despite surviving exposure to Kraang water."

"Please, sir, I have no idea why the Kraang want me. I'm - I'm ordinary. I have nothing for them." I tell him.

"You are the center of an alien plot, friends with freaks, and trained by a mutant, yet you call yourself ordinary?" He bellows. An almost imperceptible flick of his wrist, and razor-sharp gauntlet is extended.

"YES! My dad was kidnapped . . . I'm failing trig. . . . And I lost my mother!" I blurt out, and I see Karai stiffen out of the corner of my eye. "I don't know why any of it happens to me. I'm just a plain ordinary girl. I can't help you or the Kraang. Just let me go." I plead.

Cold eyes stare at me, filled with disgust and pity. And hard, unfeeling evil. He glares like his gaze will incinerate me into ash, and I unconsciously start to step back. A large hand presses against my back to stop me, and Leo shoots me a look.

"Get her out of my sight!" He barks.

Leo looks confused. "Meaning . . . ?"

"Return her to whatever sewer you got her from." He clarifies coldly.

I see Leo bite his lip. "Hai!" He shouts back, bowing swiftly. Karai does the same, and Leo quickly pulls me to elevator before Shredder can change his mind. The doors close on us, and we all breath a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"I'm free to go?" I ask Leo.

He nods. "Yes. Where do you want us to drop you off at?"

"Knowing Donnie, the guys already know I'm MIA and are currently getting ready to tear the city apart looking for me. So the Lair would be nice."

He frowns. "I can only take you to the manhole. My brothers can't see like this. Speaking of which, you can not tell the guys about me."

"What?"

"Edit me out of this story. Replace Karai with two random ninjas for your - um - pick up, then replace me with Karai for everything else." He notices the look on my face. "April, they can't know I'm working for Shredder. They'd come after me or hate me or both. I don't want that to happen. Please?"

I sigh. "Fine."

He smiles. "Thanks April."

The elevator dings, and Leo and Karai walk me outside. Leo pulls out a key and removes my cuffs. I rub my wrists, red from the times I tried to pull free.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Let's get you back to the Lair."

* * *

"DONNIE!" I shout as I run into the Lair.

"April?" A voice gasps. Donnie pokes his head out of his lab, and relieved and thrilled expression crosses his face. "APRIL!" He shouts, bolting over to meet me. We meet halfway and I rush into his open arms. He grips me tight and I loop my arms around his neck.

"April! You're okay! Oh, Darwin's Beard, thank goodness you're safe." He murmurs in my ear. I nod against his plastron.

His hand moves to my arm, and when he gets to where Baxter pricked me, he gasps and pushes me away to check.

"What - you're hurt! What happened? Hurry!" He starts pushing me towards his lab, where Raph and Mikey are waiting for Donnie to stop being a mother hen. "I need to look, get into my lab! What's - "

"Donnie, Donnie, I'm fine. I'm not hurt."

"But - but - you're bleeding." He stammers.

"Only because Stockman can't be bothered to use Band-Aids." I snort.

"Stockman had you?" He asks.

"Yes . . . And no."

"Okay, explain, Master Splinter." Raph says.

"Gladly."

* * *

KARAI'S POV

"No no no no no and no." I protest firmly.

"Is that your final answer?" Leo jokes. We're standing on the roof of the movie theater, ready to pick a movie. Well, Leo's picking movie and I'm rejecting it.

"Yes, yes it is. There's no way we're seeing that movie."

"C'mon Karai. It'll be fine."

"It's a kids movie. About fairy princesses."

"They're not fairies."

"Whatever! Point is, no."

"Karai, is there anything else playing that even sounds even remotely decent?"

He's got me there. "No." I grumble.

"They're all romcoms, chick flicks, and crappy horror movies. This is the only decent option. And April told me when she and her friend Irma went to see it a couple of weeks ago that it was good."

"Ugh, fine. But you owe me. You owe me big time." I warn.

"Do I owe you if you like it?"

"A, I won't, and B, yes."

"Fine, I can live with that. Now let's go! It's starting soon and you promised to get popcorn this time!" He reminds me, giving me puppy dog eyes to make sure I won't refuse.

I laugh. "I know, I know. Pushy."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." He murmurs ahead of me in the ducts.

"What was that?" I call ahead.

"Nothing!"

"Thought so." I smirk.

* * *

The lights in the theater dim, and the room fills with rhythmic, musical chanting as the familiar Disney castle and Mickey Mouse logo fill the screen. I reach into Leo's lap for some popcorn, and our hands brush. I snuggle further into Leo as falling snowflakes take up the screen. It stops on one in particular and zooms out to reveal the title screen.

_Frozen._

"This better be good." I whisper.

* * *

"Okay, admit it." Leo says with a teasing grin already on his face.

"Admit what?"

"You loved it."

"Did not."

"Did too. I heard you humming along."

"So? Catchy music does not mean I like it."

"Maybe, but gasping when Anna froze and applauding at the end of the movie does." He smirks.

"It was emotional!"

"Because you liked it."

"Grrrr." I growl.

"See? Told you. Even fierce kunoichi's can like Disney princess movies."

"Never speak of this to anyone." I hiss.

"What are you going to do? What can you do to make me shut up?" He challenges.

I smirk. "How about this?" I lean over him and kiss him. I feel him smile and kiss me back.

Needless to say, we're still in the rafters _long _after the movie is over.

**So? What'd you think? I mainly threw in this last part in Karai's POV for humor.**

**So, please review. I absolutely love hearing what you have to say. I'm stuck at a horrible summer camp all summer long, and your reviews help me tough through it and keep writing!**

**Have a great summer!**

**-Katana **


	14. Evolved

**Um . . . Hello? Is that an okay greeting?**

**Okay, it's been a long time, over a year in fact, and I am so, so, so sorry about that (13 really is an unlucky number). I know that there is really no excuse for my absence from this story for such a long period of time, but I'll try.**

**1\. High School. Not long after I posted the last chapter, I started my freshman year of high school, and suddenly, I actually had to pay attention in class to get good grades, and I had homework in the evenings. So free time? Majorly cut into.**

**2\. British and Japanese fandoms took over my life. Right after starting high school, I got into Sherlock, Merlin, Avengers, Death Note, Doctor Who, and Sword Art Online, plus Harry Potter made a reappearance in my life. This kind of pushed me away from the TMNT fandom.**

**3\. The show itself. Ever since the beginning of season 2, I've found that the show has become really goofy and honestly stupid. The complex character development, beautiful dialogue, and enjoyable plot lines that got me into the show have basically vanished (with a few key exceptions). Point is, the show was going in a direction I couldn't enjoy, and that made it really hard to write for the fandom.**

**But now I'm back, at least for now. SO STOP WITH THE FLAMES ON MY OTHER STORIES! It is EXTREMELY annoying and hurtful, and just turns me off from writing. If you have a problem, PM me so I can verbally kick your butt in private (or answer your good question, whichever applies).**

**I AM CHANGING MY PEN NAME. While I love my current name, I have a better idea, one that will represent myself for a long time to come. My new penname shall be Blue Seidr.**

**Now without further ado, Chapter 14, Evolved.**

LEO'S POV

My eyes widen in shock as a face I had never expected to see again stares eagerly up at me. Well, not just me. Karai and me. Suddenly, I'm grateful that I had pulled my hood up before stepping up.

Something I did must have given me away (a stiffening of my body, maybe?), because Karai shoots me a strange look. "What?" She whispers so low that only I can hear her.

I cast glances around me, then back away from the edge of the balcony on which Karai and I stood, motioning for Karai to follow me. She does, fixing me with that confused stare.

"I know one of those recruits." I hiss.

Karai blinks once, twice. "What? Really?"

I nod to her.

"Which one?"

"Front row, third from the left. He went by the name Pulvirizor, trying to be a vigilantie and fight for justice."

"But . . . " Karai senses.

"He can't fight his way out of a paper bag." I say bluntly.

"Well, I guess it's our job to change that." She smirks. I am unable to feel her confidence, though.

Ever since my successful kidnapping of April, things have sort of changed around the headquaters. I wouldn't say anyone actually trusted me, but the Foot ninjas don't seem as wary of me as they did before. Well, they don't act like I'm going to start pounding away at them every time I walk into the room anyway. I'm allowed to go running outside as long as Karai is with me, which I don't mind at all. And now, Karai and I am in charge of training new recruits picked from the many Bradford dojos around New York. We have just watched them run through some warm-ups, and it's devestatingly clear that the Foot is scraping the bottom of the barrel. These males (there were no girls among them) range anywhere from 14 to 37 years, anywhere from 90 to 200 pounds, and none of them show so much as a speck of athletic talent.

Somehow, I doubt even Splinter could make much out of them. Yet, we're somehow supposed to turn them into fighting machines to take the place of the ones my brothers have demolished during a robbery. My brothers had interrupted a Foot Clan operation, and the soldiers had no qualms against fighting back. Of course, this squirmish has left a big hole in the ranks, one that Shredder wants filled as quickly as possible while the wounded heal. I could have told Shredder that it was useless to think that new soldiers would be able to do the deeds of the Foot, but I like breathing free(ish) air, and the last thing I need is him going back on our deal. So, futlie or not, it's up to Karai and me to at least try to train these men.

"You give the rest of the orders." I tell her. "It's a miracle that Pulverizer didn't recognize my voice the first time. I really don't feel like tempting fate and risking blowing my cover."

"Or he's just stupid." Karai scoffs. "And no, you just have to disguse your voice. He can't see your face, so it's all he has to go on. Besides, you need to practice it."

"Disgusing my voice?" I question. "Why?"

"Think, bonehead." She rolls her eyes. "You might run into, oh, I don't, your brothers out on Foot business. And as you just pointed out, the last thing you need is them realizing just what kind of solo mission you're on."

I shake my head, but the truth is, she's right. If my brothers realize that I've "joined the dark side", things will get real ugly, real fast.

"Fine." We step back to the task at hand. I skim over the small crowd. First, I should get a feel for who was more advanced than who, who knew what, and who needed work (which was really everybody).

I clear my throat to regain the attention of the class. I decide to simply try to imitate another voice, and my mind flies through possibilities. It lands on a character from Teen Titans, Red X. Master thief, complete mystery, and toeing the line between hero and villian. My costume reminds me of his, and since that's the type of persona I'm trying to craft at Foot HQ, I may as well use his voice too.

"Pair off." I bellow in my new voice. Karai glances oddly at me, but I can't tell if it means "good job" or "you're an idiot". "You will be sparring to show us what skill you may possess."

True to my orders, the collection of men disolves into 13 pairs of two. Pulverizor pairs with a skinny 15 year old with horrible acne and an inhaler peeking out of his back pocket. From the way they chat animatedly, they are already aquainted.

"Pick a mat, and await the signal to begin." The dojo is huge, with plenty of room for every spar. As luck would have it, the Pulverizor and his friend locate themselves on the mat closest to the balcony. Whether or not they are trying to make an impression, I am unsure.

"You take the guys on the right, I take the ones on the left?" Karai whispers into my ear. My lips quirk into a quick smile.

"Sounds like a plan." I hiss back in my normal voice.

Louder, in my 'Foot' voice, I yell, "Hajieme!" Begin!

The pairs immediatly get into it. I scan my annionted section of "warriors", and am unsuprised by the all-around poor performance. Of course, I can't expect newbies to hold a candle to the usual skill of my oppenants or peers, but I was hoping for a bit more than this. Didn't Bradford say this had been his advance class?

Still, there are a couple of cases that do not appear hopeless. A boy of medium height and a sturdy build has already defeated his oppenant, and was quick and efficent about it. A lanky 20-year-old has excellent footwork, beboping around the mat and making it impossible for his partner to land even a passing blow. With work, I believe that those two may be able to make somewhat decent soldiers.

My eyes flicker to the Pulverizor. He's not as completely inept as he was the last time we met. In fact, right before my eyes, he executes a move I know Donnie had taught him. At least he remembered something from Don's training session. Unfortunately, he is still severly overweight and nowhere close to being a canidate for the Foot army.

"How many were we supposed to train, at minimum?" I whisper.

"At least 10." She replies.

I groan, and she grimances. "I know. How many do you see on your side?"

"Two. You?"

"Three, maybe. Great." She rolls her eyes.

"Okay, then lets take the first other five winners as well. Problem solved." I try to say in an upbeat tone.

"Well, at least we'll have the less sucky ones, then." Karai quips.

"Sure." Though whether that actually meant anything . . .

By now, the recruits have finished their battles, and 13 men more-or-less stand before us, while the losers are crouched/collasped on the ground.

"You do the honors." I nudge Karai forward a step. "Keep the guy on the end of the back row on my side, and the guy at the end of the second row."

"Roger."

Karai steps forward to address the men. She points to the losers and three of the weaker winners, and instructs them to never come back. Crestfallen, the cut ninjas slump out the door. Now only ten remain, including, to my surprise, the Pulverizor.

"You kept you-know-who?" I ask.

"He was better than those other three." She explains unapologetically. "Besides, in that stupid voice, there's no way he'll notice who you are."

"Stupid?" I echo.

"Yes, stupid, now come on, go teach the five leftovers."

"Why me?"

"You'll be far more patient with these losers than I would." She says bluntly.

"Touché." I concede. "Fine, let's go."

In unison, we swing our legs over the balcony railing and drop down to the training floor. The ten men look impressed by the ease we stick our landings with.

"Alright, you five -" she points to the top half, " - will be training with me. The rest of you are with my partner here. Good luck." She motions for her students to follow her, and leads them to the other side of the dojo so they can train separate from us.

The five remaining recruits look eagerly at me, with curiosity shining in their eyes. I take a deep breath. I have never tried to teach anyone ninjitsu before, aside from the small little mini-lessons I sometimes give April when we train together.

I cast my mind back to when Splinter first started teaching us, and when he began giving lessons to April. While I don't have the time to be as leisurely in pace about it as he was, the methods will still be useful.

"Alright. Here's what we'll do first . . ."

* * *

A few hours later, we finally dismissed the recruits (who had looked to be on their last leg a couple hours before that), and met in the elevator to go report to Shredder.

"Your recruits do as badly as mine?" I asked a slightly fuming Karai.

"Probably. I can't believe we're supposed to get these guys up to Foot Clan levels in just a few days. It's impossible! They don't know the first thing about fighting. One encounter with the Kraang will see them all slaughtered."

I wince. I had hoped that maybe, by some miracle, her half would have been at least slightly better than the newbies I had been coaching.

"Well, can you be the one to tell Shredder that? He'll take the news better if it's from you."

She scoffs. "Not likely. I'll report that while there's no promising students, we'll do the best we can with the losers."

"Good plan."

The elevator doors ding open, and we walk up to where Shredder is waiting upon his throne.

"Report." He barks.

"The recruits Bradford has given us are . . . less than promising, but we shall do our best to make soldiers out of them." I almost smirk at Karai's response, which subtly places blame on Bradford for giving us horrible martial artists.

Shredder turns his gaze (and his gauntlet) to the waiting Dogpound. "You promised me an army of the best, most lethal ninjas in the world. But all of them have been defeated. The one's left aren't fit to wear the Foot symbol."

Dogpound cowers under the threat of the Shredder's wrath (and personally, I can't blame him, having been on the receiving end). "I can find more soldiers.  
Just give me time."

"No more time!" Shredder rages, and Bradford tenses in fearful anticipation. "I need better soldiers, and I need them now!"

"But, that's impossible!" Bradford cries in defiance.

Shredder takes steps forward gauntlet extending to their full length, and Bradford instinctively cringes away.

But the expected beat down never comes to the dog mutant.

Shredder's gaze is drawn away from Bradford by the captured Kraang, watching the procedure with little interest in the interactions and a whole lot of hate for everyone in the room. Then Shredder eyes me, waiting by Karai's side and praying to be dismissed soon. Subconsciously, I straighten my posture underneath his mismatched focus.

"Perhaps not." He mutters. "Perhaps there is another method for creating Foot ninjas worthy of the badge. A method we shall steal from the Kraang."

My eyes widen. The Kraang? Creating soldiers? Does he mean robots? Or . . .

"Mutants?" I blurt. "You want to create mutants for your armies?"

Shredder glares, and I lower my head. Stupid, stupid! You know by now not to interrupt when the evil master is plotting to himself!

"Watch your tongue, kame!" A pause. "But yes. For pure destructive power, mutants are superior to any of the scum Bradford has handed me."

"But -" I bit my tongue.

Shredder steps away from Bradford, who breathes a sigh of relief, and looms over me. "What, kame?" He growls.

I hesitate before speaking. That is a mistake, one that earns me a slap across the face that throws me back a pace. "The mutagen is unstable." I finally say. "If you use it, Master," I hastily throw in the title, "there's no telling what you'll get, and it's not likely to be sentient beyond eat, kill, and destroy."

"That is all I shall require." Shredder dismisses, whirling around with a flair of his cape. "You and Karai will take a squad of your recruits and break into a Kraang base for mutagen in two nights. Do not come back without it."

* * *

RAPH'S POV

I sigh as I shift slightly from one foot to the other. We've been standing here for hours, yet nothing remotely interesting has happened in that time.

"Remind me why we're here again?" Mikey calls from his perch on a nearby water tower. In one hand, he bounces a rubber ball against the roof. In the other, he cradles his head in obvious boredom.

Donnie and I groan in unison. "Mikey we've been over this."

"We know Leo is the one who left the scrapes of the Kraang stealth ship at our door." I recap.

"So his mission probably has something to do with the Kraang and taking them down."

"So we're watching the TCRI building just in case Leo comes here."

Mikey shrugs. "Seems kinda thin."

"Well it's the only plan we got, so deal with it!" I fume.

Mikey is right, though (Wow, I thought I would die before I thought that). We can't be certain that Leo's little solo mission had anything to do with the Kraang other than the fact he had the opportunity to shoot down their ship with some extremely heavy weaponry. The odds of seeing him in the TCRI area are astronomical. But like I told Mikey, it's still our only lead. If Leo were here, he would follow through on it.

_Though if Leo were here, we wouldn't have to be looking for him._

Once more, I curse him for being so darn vague in his farewell letter. Most of the bloody thing was about Karai. Nothing to even hint about where we could find him if we really needed him.

Though, I remember what Donnie had said when we informed April about Leo. He had mentioned that Leo had started acting funny after talking to Karai, and that she must have told him about this threat. It made sense. Where else could he have learned about this mission of his? That meant that no matter what his letter said, Karai knew _something_. If we could track the Foot witch down, then maybe -

"Hey!" Donnie's cry breaks my train of thought. "A Foot Ninja!"

Mikey rushes over to us, and I follow the direction indicated by Donnie's finger. Sure enough a Foot ninja is sneaking alongside the TCRI building. _One_ Foot ninja.

"Just one guy?" I say aloud. "Don't these guys usually travel in packs?" And even from a distance, he isn't very impressive. I can tell from here that he's extremely fat and not very agile or stealthy.

"Maybe they only _need_ one guy." Mikey suggests. "Maybe this is the most dangerous Foot we've ever faced."

A theory that is immediately thrown away as the fat ninja fails to even climb through an open window.

"Or not." Donnie mutters.

"Well, he's not much, but he's all we've got tonight." I crack my knuckles loudly. "Let's go."

* * *

LEO'S POV

I stick my landing on the low rooftop with my usual finesse; lightly and without a sound. Next to me, Karai does the same.

The rest of my posse, however, trip over themselves, crashing to the ground. I breathe a hopeless sigh. If this start is any indicator of what is to come, this is going to be a long night.

We've only been training these Foot ninjas for a couple of days, and have told them very little of our objective here. They are nowhere near ready to take on the Kraang. Yet, we are taking these ten brave souls into the belly of the beast, all because Shredder wants to get his claws on mutagen.

A shiver runs down my shell. Shredder with mutagen. There's no telling the havoc he could wreck with such a weapon at his disposal. For now, he is content to test it, to see what kind of creatures he can make to destroy his enemies. But, eventually, his mind will turn to other uses. Holding cities hostage with the threat of releasing the ooze. Selling it as a weapon. Blackmailing Master Splinter and other enemies out of hiding with it. A devious mind like his can be very creative with a force like the mutagen.

But I have no choice. I have to do the villains bidding, if only until I can figure out a better way to keep my family safe.

I turn my attention to my assembled troops. "Our goal is simple." I begin. "Break into that building and retrieve mutagen. You can't miss it. It's green glowing, and will be held in containers about this side." I make approximation gestures with my gloved hands. "Do not touch it. One drop of the goo is enough to do its damage."

"Now," Karai breaks in. "who's brave enough to go scout the first level?"

Well, after the speech I just gave, you can imagine no one was exactly lining up for the opportunity. But towards the back of the crowd, a single hand rose shakily into the air.

"Ah, a volunteer." Karai smirks. I frown, though. Stepping away from the others is none other than Pulverizor.

"Good luck." She waves him on his way. Pulverizor salutes her, then slides down a fire escape to the ground, before jogging across the street to the side of the TCRI building.

"Why did you send him?" I groan softly to her.

"He volunteered. Couldn't exactly _not_ send him." She shrugs, not overly concerned.

I sigh, and take the moment to scan the area for Kraang. It wouldn't do for Pulverizor to get zapped before he even got into the building.

My heart stopped. I didn't spot Kraang, but something far more terrifying.

"Karai!" I hiss. "Look!"

Not even two roofs away sit my brothers.

A lump grew in my throat. I haven't seen my brothers in weeks, since I ran away from them on the fake mission. I've missed them so much, more than I thought I ever could. I've lived with my brothers my entire life. Wherever I went, so did they. They were as much a part of me as my arm or my shell. Without them by my side, or within ear shot, I feel like I'm vulnerable, exposed. It feels like the armor I've had on for my entire life has been ripped off of me, and even weeks later, I still have not gotten used to the empty sensations that hit me every single day.

But now - now my brothers are just within my reach. If I raised my voice any louder than when I spoke to the Foot soldiers, they would hear me. They would _see_ me. My heart aches, crying to my brain to ditch this suicidal and dishonorable mission, to run back to my brothers, my family, my _home_. Unconsciously, a noise between a groan and a whimper passes through my lips.

Karai frowns sympathetically at me and places a hand on my shoulder as I stare longingly after them.

Then suddenly, my brothers perk up from the slouches they had been sporting. A brief conversation seems to flow between them, and they leap off the roof.

"What? Where are they -" Then I spot it. "Oh, no." I moan.

"What?"

"They've spotted Pulverizor."

Karai grimaces. "Great." She mutters. "That moron will spill everything."

"Then we have to stop them from meeting." The words enter the air before I'm even aware of them in my mind. I start for a second, but realize that the words are true. If Pulverizor sees my brothers again, he'll spill everything he knows about the mission, which is far too much (I'm now starting to see the benefits of compartmentalization). My brothers will try to stop the Foot from getting their hands on mutagen every opportunity they get, and while Shredder's word means that the Foot won't actively seek to kill my brothers, they won't hesitate to fight back in a conflict my brothers initiate. Shredder had been perfectly clear about that in one of our training sessions.

My brothers can't find out about the mutagen mission. They can't meet up with Pulverizor.

All this runs through my head in a split second, and I waste no time giving Karai orders.

"Take the rest of the Foot and Pulverizor into TCRI to get the mutagen. If it looks too well protected, though, get out." I purse my lips in a deep frown. "I'll distract my brothers."

Karai doesn't argue, just nods sharply.

I run across the rooftops, and land in the mouth of the alley by my brothers' building. Five feet away, frozen in their tracks with expressions of shock marring their faces, are Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. I hastily scan them over. No signs of broken limbs or serious injury, only a few bruises consistent with a brutal training session. I breathe a small sigh of relief. They seem, for the most part, fine. Nothing has happened to them since I had left.

_Thank God._

"Who the shell are you?!"

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

We were moments away from crossing the street to see what the obese Foot ninja was doing - other than a) trying to break into TCRI and b) failing to actually be a competent ninja - when a shadowy figure landed in our path, appearing so suddenly he could have just popped out of the ground.

I take in a sharp breath of shock as I back up a step in surprise. Slowly, my eyes begin to pick out the details of this stranger.

His shadow-like appearance is due to wearing all black, except for blood red Foot insignias branding black metal plates of his shoulders. He wears covers on his arms and legs, and gloves and silk socks on his hands and feet, along with black Japanese sandals. A black tunic with ragged ends covers his chest, and belts strap a double sheath to his back. Other plates of armor guard his limbs. Finally, a deep cowl and hood conceal all of his face, except for his eyes, gleaming white from the darkness that hid his features. Unconsciously, I shiver, unnerved by this new Foot player's appearance.

Raph, though, has no such misgivings. "Who the shell are you?!" He draws his sais with a flourish. I draw my own weapon as well.

The figure cocks his head at Raph, seeming to process his question. Slowly, he shakes his head.

"What do you mean, no? How is that an answer?" Raph seeths.

The figure shrugs, and I get the impression that he is smiling underneath those shadows.

"Oooh, do you not have a name? Because I'm great with names!" Mikey bounces, twirling his nunchucks slowly.

"No need, Mikey. I've got a name for this guy. It's Puddle of Guts on the Sidewalk." Raph charges towards the Foot, sais pointed out, deadly points aimed directly for the new dude's chest.

The figure doesn't even budge until Raph is nearly on top of him. He ducks out of the way of the oncoming weapons, and dives for Raph's midsection, lashing out with a fierce kick to Raph's plastron. Raph folds over the wound, instinctively trying to protect his vital organs. Suddenly, a sword appears in the figures hand. He had drawn it so fast I hadn't even seen him do it. With a loud crack, he slams the hilt into the side of Raph's head, causing Raph to slump to the ground with a loud groan and stay there.

All of this took place in about 4 seconds. Raph is down for the count, and the figure doesn't have a scratch on him. Quick, efficient, and nearly deadly. Suddenly, I have no doubt that this is one of the most dangerous foes we have ever faced.

He looks at Raph's motionless body for a second, then turns his gaze back to where Mike and I watch in awe. He raises a hand with two fingers pointing at us, and makes the universal gesture for "come and get me".

I don't think; I just do. Master Splinter would have been proud, if I hadn't royally gotten my shell kicked.

I charge the Foot, bo staff twirling in my hands. He leaps back, then up on a trash can and over my head in a flip. I feel my legs fall out from under me, and I'm flat on my shell. I leap back up, but my weapon is missing from my hands. The Foot waves cheerfully at me, his other hand clutching my staff.

Mikey runs up behind the Foot. "Booyahkasha!" He shouts as he descends upon the stranger in the downward arch of a high jump, nunchucks a blur in his hands.

I see the Foot shift his weight and grip on my staff, and my eyes widen as I figure out what he's about to do. Before I can call out to Mikey, the stranger has swung the staff just like a baseball bat, the other end connecting with Mikey with a sickening smash! Mikey is swatted out of the air like a bug, crashing up against the alley wall and sliding down with a thud.

Anger clouds my vision. No one is allowed to smack around Mikey but us. Weaponless except for my fists, I yell a battle cry as I rush the Foot.

The Foot tosses aside my staff, and raises his own fists. I lash out, trying to punch at every unarmored spot my sharp eyes can find. He does not even try to fight back, just backs up slowly, dodging all my throws. I frown as I advance upon him. There is something almost familiar about this Foot, something I can't quite put my finger on. Have we fought him before under another guise?

Almost as if he can see the thoughts racing through my head, the Foot shakes his head, and finally starts throwing punches of his own. Now,, I'm the one retreating as he twirls and flips around me, landing punches and kicks on me like I was a punching bag. Before I can even process it, I'm thrown back the wall opposite Mikey, and I know I won't be getting up for another few minutes.

Mikey groans, and I see his eyes flicker open as he comes to. "Dude . . ."

The Foot shifts, as if he's debating with himself whether or not he needs to strike again. I pray he decides in the negatory.

A shrill whistle from above breaks the silence, and the Foot looks up. I try to follow his line of sight, but I can't spot anything or anyone that could be making that noise. He nods once, then turns his hooded gaze back to us.

And for the first time that night, the Foot speaks.

"You are right, Michelangelo. I am nobody." The voice that speaks from the shadows is soft and low. A rasp accompanies it, and it seems oddly pitched, almost forced, twisted even.

Then the figure disappears just as swiftly and silently as he had arrived.

* * *

APRIL'S POV

I pace around the Lair floor with slight worry. Things have been quiet lately, and the Turtles were merely out for a patrol. There was no reason for them to be late, and yet, they were, by almost a half hour.

I frowned and wrung my hands guiltily. I knew exactly what the guys were doing out there each night. They were staking out Kraang hot spots, hoping that they might be able to track down their missing leader. I could tell them that they were never going to find Leo that way; that his mission had nothing to do with the Kraang. But I had promised Leo that I wouldn't say a word about his presence among the Foot.

I understood his decision when I made the promise, and get the reasoning behind it even now, but still . . . It hurts to see the guys so downtrodden, so desperate for some hint that their brother is okay, and not give them the comfort of that knowledge.

A groan echoes down the tunnel. I gasp and spin around to face the turnstiles that mark the front door of the Lair. Donnie and Mikey are limping into the room, Raph slung between them and out cold.

"Oh no," I breathe, and rush up to help them with their burden. "What happened?"

As one, we lay Raphael onto the couch. I brush his wrist, and the knot in my stomach loosens slightly as I detect a pulse. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Splinter glide of the dojo and begin to rush over.

Donnie gives a low moan. "We got our shells handed to us, that's what happened."

"Yeah, Nobody's freaky good." Mikey says as he collapses next to his fallen brother.

"Nobody?" I question. Donnie rolls his eyes.

"Yeah," Mikey looks up at me. "As he was leaving, he said that I was right when I asked if he didn't have a name, and that he was nobody. Well, he called himself 'Nobody', so -"

"We get it." Comes a grumbled voice.

"Raph!" Mikey smiles, and indeed, Raph's radioactive green eyes are, if not completely open, then at least aware.

"How are you feeling?" Donnie inquires, ever the doctor. "That blow to the head couldn't have felt good." He leans in to examine Raph's pupils and wound for any sign of trauma. "You don't seem to have a concussion . . . "

"I'm fine, Don, just a headache." Raph swats away his brother's concerned hands. "I'll feel a lot better though when I track down this 'Nobody' and give him a piece of my mind." He attempts to sit up, but four sets of hands push him back down.

"Not a chance, Raph." Donnie says firmly. "No more Foot stomping tonight. You need rest and lots of Advil."

My ears perk at this. "Foot?" I ask.

"Looked like it."

Raph scoffs. "Had the symbol splashed onto his shoulders. What else could he have been?"

Wait. A new Foot clan member, super good, with Foot symbols on his shoulders?

"What did he look like?" I do my best to make the question sound as casual as possible.

Donnie frowns. "I don't know. He wore a hood the entire time; I couldn't see his face. Heck, I could barely see him at all. He wore all black except for the Foot symbols on his shoulder plates. He felt familiar, though."

My breath catches in my throat. _Leo_. Donnie just described Leo in his Foot uniform.

Leo did this.

* * *

KARAI'S POV

"I can't believe I did that!" Leo says for the tenth time as he frantically paces the miniscule length of my room, like he has been doing for the past 45 minutes since we got back.

I sigh once more. "Leo you had no choice. You know that. You couldn't let the Turtles meet up again with Pulverizor, and you couldn't go easy on them, or they would get suspicious. Your only choice was to stall them, and to do that you had to fight them."

"But what if I gave Raph a concussion? What if Mikey got hurt when I slammed him into that wall? What if they're hurt? What -" Leo gulps and looks at me with terrified eyes. "What if I killed them?!"

I sigh, this time in annoyance. This wasn't the first time he had asked me these questions, and much as I love Leonardo's protective nature, this is seriously starting to grate on my nerves.

"Leo . . ."

He ignores me. "I - I got to go see them! I got to make sure they're okay! I can't believe I hurt them in Shredder's name! I got to -"

I can't stand it anymore! I stand up and quickly eliminate the distance between us.

_Slap!_ My open palm strikes Leo's cheek, and he is shocked into silence.

"Leonardo, your brothers are fine. You said that Purple and Orange were relatively fine when you left, and one strike to the head will not kill the moron."

"You slapped me . . . "

I roll my eyes. _That's_ all he got through his thick skull? "Yes, and I'll do it again if you don't stop worrying so much!"

He frowns tightly, and he jitters slightly with effort. "I'm sorry, Karai, I just -"

"I know, you care about them. But there's nothing you can do right now. Tomorrow night, you can go visit Red and ask her about your brothers, but until then, you need to relax."

He lets out a deep breath and closes his eyes, collecting himself. Then he opens those cobalt eyes once more and smiles at me.

"You're right, Karai. I'm being silly."

"Took you long enough to figure that out." I tease.

His smile slowly morphs into a smirk. "But it's going to be _so_ difficult not to think about them."

I catch his not-so-subtle hint, and a smirk grows on my own face to match his. "Then I'll just have to distract you."

"Yes please." His voice is light and breathy as he leans in, and I feel my gut quiver in anticipation as I latch my lips onto his.

We waste no times with pleasantries and immediately dive in. His hands caress my cheek and hair as he carefully guides me towards the bed so we can sit. I yank his swords off of his back, getting them out of the way. I'm tempted to do the same with his tunic and other coverings, unused to fabric between my hands and his chest and skin, but that would feel too much like something I don't think either of us are ready for.

His tongue brushes my lips, gently asking for permission, and I grant it, allowing his tongue to come into contact with mine. We battle with our tongues as elegantly as we do with our swords, a dance wild and unpredictable. He runs his hands down my arms to my hips, and tickles my sides in his grip. I bounce in place, shivering slightly, and I can almost feel him smiling. I'm not used to being dominated, though, not even romantically, and I turn the tables on him, slipping my hands under his Foot tunic and rubbing the sensitive sides of his shell. He jerks and squirms under my touch, and I grin victoriously.

We have to break away for air, and we fight to feed our starving lungs, our eyes never leaving each other.

I study his face, committing each detail to memory, and I frown as I realize something. I've never seen Leo with his mask.

I lift my hand up to his face, and cup his cheek in my hand. I don't lean into kiss him again, and he doesn't either. This is a moment for tenderness, and we both know it.

My fingers slip beneath his mask, and I begin to lift it up. The second I do, though, Leo stiffens, and he grabs my hand, pulling it away in a grip like a vice.

"What -?"

"What are you doing?" He asks, voice shaking.

"I wanted to see you without your mask." He flushes at my confession, and shakes his head.

"Why not?" Why won't he let me see him without his mask? What's wrong?

"Because I - I don't -"

"Leo, I don't care what you look like, with or without that mask." I say firmly. Is that what this is about? How he looks without his mask?!

"I look like a freak, though. Even less human." Leo bemoans.

Irrational anger surges through me. "You don't look human _with_ the mask, Leo! Newsflash! You're a mutant! No ones ever going to look at you and think _human_!"

Leo flinches away. I can see real hurt splash across his face, and I feel guilt for wounding him like that, but still I forge on. He needs to get this through his thick skull.

"And you know what? I don't care! Not one single bit, Leo! I look at you, and I don't see a turtle. I don't see a freak, or a mutant. I see you, Leo. Just Leonardo. And you know what else? _I love you_."

Leo takes in a sharp breath, and so many emotions flow through his eyes that I can't sort them all out. I'm going through my own emotional rollercoaster. I just told Leo that I love him. Sure, I texted it to him on a whim before he joined the Foot, but that didn't see quite real, just a few key taps into cyberspace. This, this is real. The words are still in the air, as physically present as anything else in my room, and I can't seem to breathe as I wait for Leo's response.

Leo slowly lets go of my hand, and brings his own to his side. He says nothing, but his eyes tell me everything I need to know. They are unsure, and nervous as heck, but they are soft, and giving me permission to go on.

My hands slip under the sides of his mask, and slide it off of his face, leaving it bare in my presence for the very first time.

For such a big deal that Leo made out of it, there's not much of a noticeable difference. As I stare, I notice that his eyes seem wider, younger, more open. His skin is lighter around his eyes, a tan line that strikes me as odd. Does he never take his mask off? But he's still Leo, the adorable mutant teenager that somehow managed to win my affections.

Leo is waiting for my reaction. Nervous fear still lurks in his eyes, and my heart aches to think about how he must view himself. It isn't fair for him to have to hide, to fear what people will do if they see him.

The moment is fragile. Too much of anything will break it, and I don't think that a moment can be fixed. So as gentle and slowly as possible, I lean in and lightly kiss the space between Leo's eyes.

"You're beautiful, Leonardo." I whisper, pulling him into an embrace.

* * *

LEO'S POV

The next night, I rap on the window of April's bedroom, nervously casting glances over my shoulder. If my brothers were to pop up for a visit at this moment and catch me here . . .

A silhouette passes the yellow-tinted window, and into the moonlight steps April. She gasps and almost takes a step back, but collects herself.

She pushes the window opens. "Leo, what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" I ask, eyes still scanning the surrounding buildings. "Before any one else decides to visit?"

April sighs and nods. "Just keep your voice down. Aunt Kate is asleep."

I return her nod, and step through the window, moving out of its open line of sight to the outside. April closes the panes, and I lower my hood.

"Are my brothers okay?" I beg to know as April turns towards me. "I tried not to hurt them seriously, but it's been killing me all day. Are they okay?"

"They're fine. Raph probably still has a headache from whatever you did to him, but other than that all they have are bruises." April assures me.

I let out a relieved breath, a fraction of guilt lifting from my chest. "Thank God. I was so worried . . . "

"Why did you attack them in the first place?" April questions, a frown furrowing her features.

"They had spotted one of my Foot soldiers -"

"_Your_ Foot soldiers?" April interrupts.

"Shredder has Karai and me training new recruits. They all suck, big time. Shredder's scraping the bottom of the New York barrel, that's for sure." I briefly explain. "Anyway, they had spotted him, and I couldn't let them meet."

"Why not?" April demands to know. "Surely they would have just taken him out."

"No, this Foot soldier would have spilled everything he knew about the Foot's current mission, prompting my brothers to try and stop it and get themselves killed - or worse - in the process."

"Leo, your brothers have faced down the Foot before." April tries to reason.

"Shredder's after mutagen." I say bluntly, ignoring her surprise. "If my brothers found that out, they'd do everything they could to stop him, and they would end up getting killed or mutated again. I can't let that happen."

"But you can't let Shredder get his hands on mutagen!" April whisper-shouts, conscious of her slumbering aunt on the same floor.

"He's already got some." I admit. "Karai and our Foot squadron were able to get their hands on a couple of canisters during my distraction before they were forced to pull out. We're supposed to head out for more tomorrow night."

"You have to stop this, Leo!" April half-screams, terror a strong undercurrent in her voice. "Can you seriously allow Shredder access to mutagen?"

"No, but what can I do about it? I protest, he kills me, forgets our deal, and goes after mutagen anyway. At least this way, by playing relatively loyal, I can do my best to push him in directions that don't involve actually using the mutagen on anything sentient."

"You can tell your brothers." April says firmly. "They deal with the possibility of mutagen every time they head out. They're probably at a Kraang base right now, looking for you."

"Looking for me?" I echo. "Why on earth -"

"Because of the Kraang ship you took down. They think whatever you're doing has to do with the Kraang."

I shake my head. "April, I just don't want my brothers anywhere near the Foot right now. With mutagen, they're more dangerous than ever."

"And they can handle it."

"They can handle Kraang with mutagen. Foot won't be so predictable with its use. They will see and use it as a weapon."

"A weapon they will always have unless you do something to stop this." April looks me dead in the eye. "You have to stop Shredder from using it without interfering personally. That just leaves your brothers."

I frown, and want to continue to argue, but the words won't come. _She's right_, my mind tells me. I can't let Shredder have mutagen, but I also can't do anything about it personally without being killed. I have to find a way for someone I trust to stop him from using the mutagen. There are very few people on that list, and even fewer who could do it without arousing Shredder's suspicion.

I sigh and hang my head. "You're right, April."

"Leo, you have - wait, I am?"

"My brothers need to stop Shredder. I tried to prevent that to keep them safe, but now I need to trust them to be able to pull it off without getting hurt." I frown. "But there's nothing they can do about it now. The mutagen Shredder has collected is too well guarded. They need to figure out Shredder's plot on their own and wait for him to make his move with it to take the weapon out of play." Suddenly, an idea hits me, and I smile. "Or at least, mostly on their own. Thanks, April!"

I wrap my arms around her in a quick hug, one she briefly returns.

"I should get going." I announce. "Karai is probably wondering what's holding me up."

"Oh. How are you guys doing?" April awkwardly asks.

I smile softly, my mind resting on the time we spent together last night, yet another soul-twisting, world-rocking experience for me. I have never shown anyone that was not family what I look like without my mask. It's more than just a mask to me. It's a barrier, the only fabric I wear that feels like it's actually covering the personal parts of myself. Without my mask, I'm bare, vulnerable. Letting Karai take it off . . . It feels like I have truly begun to reveal my soul to her.

"We're doing good; really good."

April nods. "I'm glad."

I make my way to her window, and crack it open. I am about to step out into the night when April speaks up behind me.

"Oh, by the way, Mikey came up with a name for you."

I cock my head with interest. "Really? What'd he come up with? Black Shadow? Night Blade?" I joke.

April shakes her head. "He calls you Nobody."

"Nobody?" I try out the name on my tongue. "Hmm. Interesting." And I slip out the window, making my way back to the rooftop where Karai waits.

* * *

"Burn phones?" Karai repeats. "Why do you need burn phones?"

"To contact my brothers without them realizing where I am. With a burn phone, I can text them, then destroy the phone before they have time to trace the signal." I explain.

"I thought you weren't going to involve your brothers. That's the whole reason you distracted them from the Pulverizor and have been worrying for the past 24 hours about them." Karai points out.

"I don't want to involve them in this," I confess, "but I don't think I have a choice in the matter if I want to keep Shredder from using his mutagen."

Karai frowns at me, and I can tell what she's thinking.

"Karai," I say softly, "do you really think that Shredder can be trusted with mutagen? You've seen firsthand what it can, what it can create. Not all victims turn out as lucky as me."

Karai bits her lip and avoids my gaze. That's the only answer I need, though.

"Please, Karai, can you get me some phones?" I ask again.

She sighs, then looks up and nods. "How many do you need, Captain?" She grins. I grin back, encouraged by her use of her nickname for me.

"How about five? If you can afford that many." I add hastily.

She scoffs. "Leo, I could afford three times that many. I'll get your phones by tonight." She promises.

"Thank you." I kiss her cheek in further gratitude.

* * *

DONNIE'S POV

My breath is heavy as I release CO2 into the air and let my eyes wander. Once again, we have been observing TCRI for any sign of Kraang activity - or Leo - for hours with zero results.

This whole deal with Leo going after a non-specific threat is fishy, a puzzle I try to wrap my mind around in the long hours with little else to do.

Fact: Leo was distressed when he returned from his side-adventure with Karai. He had said in his letter that it was because he had learned that Karai was Shredder's daughter - and wasn't that a surprise - but it was unlikely that Leo would remain thrown by that for so long. It also wouldn't account for the sadness Leo practically oozed when he returned home.

Fact: Unless he made any pit-stops on the way home, he only had contact with Karai before he began babbling about a threat.

Conclusion: Karai told him about the threat. Which means, that despite what that letter said, Karai did know something about where he had gone. Maybe that was why Leo had practically begged us to stay away from her. So we couldn't have the opportunity to learn where he had gone.

Unfortunately, we haven't seen Karai since she saved our lives that night weeks ago (has it been that long without Leo?). Short of hunting her down like an animal, there was nothing we could do to talk to her.

A buzzing on my T-phone breaks my train of thought, and my brothers look at me curiously as I slide it free from my belt. A text from an unknown number. I cock my head in confusion. The only people with my number are my brothers, Sensei, and April. Who would be texting me?

It was probably just a wrong number. Still, it was the most interesting thing to happen all night, so I clicked it open.

_Chinatown gate, ASAP. Be there Donnie, it's important._

_-L_

"Leo?" I gasp.

"Leo?!" Mikey and Raph chorus, interest sparking in their eyes.

"He just texted me!" I show them my phone screen.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Raph shouts, immediately turning and sprinting in the direction of Leo's specified destination. For once, I don't mind the use of one of Leo's catchphrases and rush after him.

* * *

"Foot clan?" Raph hisses as we reach the Chinatown gate. Sure enough, a line of Foot on motorcycles, including Fishface, are riding past.

"Where are they headed?" Mikey asks.

"Let's find out." I whisper back, starting to run the rooftops alongside the convoy.

My eyes analyze the group as we run, and my attention catches on one bike in particular. Tied to the back is a familiar obese ninja.

Mikey has spotted him too. "Hey, isn't that the same ninja from before?"

It was, ad this time, he wasn't wearing a mask. He turned his head to look in our direction, and a face I had hoped I would never see again was revealed.

"The Pulverizor?!"

"What's that loser doing in the Foot?"

I could have hit myself. "I had told him to practice the last time we saw him. I didn't mean go join an evil ninja clan."

"The Foot must really be hurting for bodies for us to pound." Raph comments, and I have to agree. Pulverizor is nowhere near what you could call decent in the art of ninjitsu, or any other fighting style.

The Foot finally stop in front of an old utilities warehouse. Fishface unties Pulverizor from the bike, but instead of trying to run for it or even look fearful, Pulverizor walks in on his own violation, a grin on his face and a spring in his step.

Raph groans. "We got to go bail that loser out, don't we?"

"Whatever the Foot are doing with him, it can't be good." I confirm.

"And Leo wanted us to see them." Mikey adds. "This must be important."

I glance over at Mikey. He's unusually serious tonight, like he has been since Leo's disappearing act. Oh, sure, he still jokes around and goofs off at the Lair, playing video games and reading comic books, but when it comes to missions, he's been remarkable level-headed about things - to a certain extent. To be honest, it has me worried. Mikey's not Mikey when he's serious.

"That settles it then." I nod.

"Fine." Raph mumbles, leading the way into the warehouse.

* * *

I lay my hand on the cool transparent material that contains Pulverizor. What's left of him, anyway.

The Shredder was (is?) experimenting with mutagen, seeing what kind of mutants, what kind of _soldiers_ he could create with the otherworldly substance. Pulverizor, introduced to the Foot through a Bradford dojo, volunteered for the mutagen experiments so that he could become a "superhero".

_Just like you guys!_

A five-fingered hand curls around my shoulder.

"I should have stopped him, Sensei." I bow my head. Stopped him from mutating himself, stopped this crazy idea. "I tried to talk him out of it, but . . . I failed."

"It was Pulverizor's choice, Donatello. You are not to blame."

"I know that." And I did, in my brain. My heart was a different matter. "It still feels like I am, though. I indulged him, taught him a couple moves, and encouraged him to learn. If I had kicked him out that first time instead of telling him to practice . . . "

"Pulverizor still would have found his way to the Foot." Sensei interrupts. "He was determined to become a vigilante and a mutant, and now he has gotten his wish."

I lock eyes with the mixture of goop and organs that make up the remains of the boy who wanted to be like me. Vague recognition floats in the soil-brown orbs, and it gives me hope that Pulverizor still has some shred of his sentient mind left.

"I'll cure you, Pulverizor." I vow to the goop. "I promise."

The eyes blink, and even though it is irrational to think so, I take it as a sign that Pulverizor heard me.

* * *

LEO'S POV

"We lost our mutagen supply and contact with the test subject in the explosion." Bradford wraps up his nervous report, and I shiver in my shell. There has been no word from either Dogpound or Fishface about whether or not my brothers survived, and I'm going out of my mind with worry. Are my brothers okay? Did they get out in time, or did I send them to their deaths? If I know Donnie, he wouldn't have left without doing everything he could to take Pulverizor with them, but from the sound of it, Pulverizor wasn't capable of understanding who was an ally and who was a foe.

Shredder lets out a deep growl, and everyone in the room takes a step back. We have all become acquainted with that particular growl, and know it means nothing good.

"How did the turtles even know where to find us?" His scarred eyes narrow their focus to me.

_Gulp._

"Kame?" He growls.

I hastily fall to my knees. My life - and my brothers - depend on this performance. "Master, I have had no contact with the turtles since arriving to this building when I pledged my allegiance to you. I do not know how the turtles knew where to find you, but if I had to make a guess - "

The sound of clanking metal footsteps, and the scrap of blades against the floor. Sparks fly from the thin grooves being carved into the concrete, and my breath clogs in my throat.

"I believe that your neck would prefer you giving an answer." Shredder says, deadly soft.

I swallow. "I believe that the turtles may have spotted the Foot on accident and decided to follow you. They conduct patrols on occasion throughout the city, and they may have been on one when Xever and the test subject were in transition."

This was the story Karai and I had come up with, and it was mostly true. I just had to hope that Shredder would buy it.

"Why was I not informed of these . . . patrols?" Shredders only question. I don't dare to hope this means I'm off the hook, though.

"I - I thought you knew." Shredder's gaze grows darker, and I scramble to add more. "I won't make that assumption again, Master. I never meant to keep such valuable information from you."

A swift kick to the stomach, steel-toed boot digging into my plastron. I'm knocked back onto my shell with a oomph of air escaping my lungs and pain taking its place. I do not dare try to protect myself from any further attacks. I have made that mistake only once before, and I will never make it again. I can see Karai out of the corner of my eye, her face expertly kept blank of any sympathy or worry.

"Get out of my sight, you miserable freak." Shredder barks.

I am only too happy to obey, dragging myself into a technically standing position and starting trudging towards the elevator doors. Karai shoots her father a look, and he returns a sharp nod. She hurries to catch up to me, and takes care to not show any sort of assistance until we will be out of Shredder's sight. We enter the elevator, and are waiting for the doors to close when the robotic voice of the captive Kraang speaks from the corner where he had been tied up and neglected.

"It appears that the one that is known as Shredder and Kraang share a common enemy."

Shredder does not say anything before the doors shut out any sound, but even from this distance, I can see interest spark in his eyes, a spark that paralyzes me with fear.

An interested Shredder is a very, very, very dangerous thing.

_Uh-oh_.

**So?! What do you think? Review and tell me please (but be nice about, kay?)**

**If you want to speak to me, keep up with any news about my fics, or just laugh at some fandom pics, you can follow me on my writer Facebook page. The name is Blue Seidr, and it should be published now.**

**THIS STORY HAS FAN ART! A very good fan of mine drew Leo in his Foot uniform, and I will be posting it on my Facebook page (see above) as soon as I get home (I'm typing this up at school). Please check it out cause it is awesome.**

**I believe that is all for now, so thanks for sticking with me until I could get my act together and write a new chapter.**

**Allons-y!**

**-Blue**


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